Douglas Academy pupils show their enterprising flair

There were fifteen stands this year, ranging from the Art Club’s face painting and glitter tattoo stand to the Music Department’s “chair drumming” stand.

Primary pupils were also invited and over a hundred P7 pupils participated in a range of activities at the various stands.

Pupils were able to make an emergency storm tent at the Duke of Edinburgh exhibit, and the highly talented Creative Cakes Club pupils (see picture) gave a live demonstration of their decorating skills.

The Showcase coincided with a “Wear it Pink” charity day at school instigated by S2 pupils Lucy Wink and Anna Brownlie, which raised a tremendous £1,000 for a children’s leukaemia charity.

As part of the S2 Modern Studies course each year pupils participate in The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, which is managed in Scotland by the Wood Family Trust Foundation.

The Trust distributes YPI grants of £2,500 to local, community-based agencies by encouraging pupils to work together to research different charities and present their findings.

The school raised a further £500 to contribute to the award.

This enables pupils to develop a range of skills while increasing their awareness of the needs of the wider community.

By choosing a local charity to research pupils gain hands on experience so helping to promote a sense of responsibility, respect and a commitment towards building compassionate communities.

Since January, all S2 pupils in Modern Studies have been involved in preparing presentations about their chosen charities with support and help from class teachers.

Pupils in each class selected what they felt to be the best presentation and this went forward to the final, on June 15.

The finalists delivered “well-researched and insightful” presentations, each highlighting a very good cause and the judges, Hannah Beardsley, Aidan Johnson and Mr Smedley had a difficult decision to make.

The winning group (see picture)came from 2B, with Mireia Bell, Catriona Grindley and Oliver Patterson gaining £3,000 for the MIlngavie Old Peoples’ Welfare Committee.

Sincere thanks go to the finalists, who delivered their presentations with such commitment, and to Lynne Raynal of YPI who continues to make such an exciting and rewarding event possible.