Return to the Park - Daniel Campbell

Yesterday, the 8^th of September, saw us Return to the Park which was a massive success. Before we could head out to the park for the walk, we spent the morning counting the money that the pupils and staff had raised from their sponsor forms. Last time we managed to raise £12000 and we are hoping to raise around the same, if not even more. After we headed out to help put the stations up at points in the park and after that it was time for the walk. Each of the helpers stood at their stations watching and cheering on the people doing the walk and even laughing at some of the ridiculous outfits that the pupils AND staff were wearing.

All in all the day was a massive success in raising money for Welcome Primary and as one of the banners said …

 “We can make a difference”

Daniel Campbell

Return to the Park - Katie Haldane

Return to the Park….what a success! Every pupil and teacher at Balwearie High School walked 5k on the 8th of September to raise funds for Welcome Primary School. The citizenship classes, along with a few teachers, spent the morning setting up the course in the Beveridge Park and hanging banners, flags and posters.

We raised an astonishing amount of money on the morning of the walk. Everybody involved in counting the money was blown away! Last time we managed to raise a total of £12000, and this year we hope that total will be matched or exceeded.

 All the love to Welcome Primary.

 Katie Haldane.

IT'S COMING...

Interviews for 2016 Trip!

Today (Thursday 21st) saw the interviews being held for those applied to go to CapeTown in 2016! 
The candidates were being interviewed by The "Capetoniants" & "Burgendys" teams, who were in CapeTown in 2014, along with several other teachers. 

The process was very informal and allowed pupils to express why they wanted to go to CapeTown and also explain what they would bring to the trip. This gave the interviewers a chance to get to know the candidates and judge on how well they would enjoy the trip to its maximum and what they would gain from it. 

The candidates were judged on a 1 to 4 basis which at the end would be totalled up for each person, with the highest total lot being offered a place. 
The successful candidates should be offered a place on the 2016 trip via a letter sent to their registration class in the next few weeks. 

Every single candidate performed extremely well and should be very proud of themselves. The answers that they gave were very mature and often show how much passion they had for the link and the trip.  We wish them all the very best of luck at this exciting time. 

Craig Stevenson - Team 2014

FIFA WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT

One of the longest played Worlds Cups at 5 months and starting with 38 competitors concluded on Friday afternoon between Luke Watson (Piteadie) and Lewis Currie (Raith) making the finals as Inter Milan against Bayern Munich. Both competitors put up a fantastic fight but ultimately the Fifa Champion For Balwearie 2015 would be Luke Watson.

Luke Watson- Winner

 The competition was organised by Mr Hay in Technology and Mrs Gallagher in Social Subjects as a way of raising funds for The Welcome School in South Africa has raised close to £150 by the final.  They hope to have many more competitions running, with Forza racing time trials (think star in a reasonably priced car from Top Gear) starting soon.  

Audience Gathers for the Final Match

Get Your Head in the Game!- Luke and Lewis in the final few minutes

(Official photographer of the final Craig Stevenson 5P2)

World Book Day

What a great day we had celebrating World Book Day this year. Our theme was Africa and this theme ran throughout the day with various activities. It was also a non-uniform day which raised over £1000 for Welcome School in Cape town.


The day began with all pupils reading a book for Period 1.




We were then entertained by Colin McEwan who is a local storyteller. He regaled us with tales from Africa using pupils as props and then finished with a song on his guitar. S1 and S2 pupils were involved in shouting and joining in and all had a great time.

Another feature of WBD is our brick wall.

Pupils choose their favourite book and write about it on a "brick". The bricks were then put together and created a fabulous wall of reviews.

Lunchtime saw our event in the Information Centre. Pupils were treated to some African food.

The soup was a firm favourite with one pupil having 8 cups! Hope he wan't sick during P5.

We also had a visit from the Music Department who played African drums to accompany pupils while they filled out the answers to the African quiz. The winner was announced yesterday and the lucky pupil received an Easter Egg and two books - one a signed copy.

9 MONTHS TO GO!!!

On Wednesday 4 February the Cape Town 2015 group all met again for the second time to work on our letters to send via email to Welcome Primary School.  We also used the time to get to know each other.  We were all assigned a specific class to send our letters to and some of us emailed our finished letters to the teachers of the classes.  We can’t wait until we get a reply from Welcome Primary School as we realise how big a deal it is for the children in Capetown!!!

This is an example of a letter we wrote to Welcome Primary:

Hi,

My name is Tim Arnstein, I am 15 years old and live in Burntisland, Scotland. I love living in Scotland but the weather isn't always great as I guess South Africa is. I live with my parents and have two brothers, who are both at university. We live in a old Victorian house on the edge of Burntisland with a view towards the sea and Edniburgh. When I'm not at school I love riding my bmx bike. I love most extreme sports such as skiing, surfing and skateboarding aswell as bmx. My eldest brother, Tom, races road bikes and has ridden for Scotland in the past. My other brother, Oscar, rides downhill bikes and is currently studying at Oxford University. My whole family have a love for extreme sports which has cause many hospital visits, the most recent being after I knocked my front teeth out while riding my bike so when you see me I might have dentures!

I currently go to Balwearie High School as you probably know. Some of my favourite subjects are PE and Graphic communication. My PE teacher, Mr Clunie, is going on the trip with us to visit you. He looks about 5 but is a good teacher.

I am really excited to meet you all and come to South Africa as it looks like an absolutely beautiful country. I hope that you enjoy having us there and we have fun with you.  

This is me with my two brothers on holiday to

Portugal in 2013. On the left is my eldest brother Tom who is 20. I am in the middle and on the right is my other brother Oscar who is 18

 This is my dog Bunty

She is a Collie/Pointer cross