June Programme

There are many fun and educational opportunities for pupils after teaching has finished, leading up to the end of term on June 19^th. Some of the awards and achievements will be announced at the Warden’s online End of Term Assembly. The time/day/link for this will be sent to pupils closer to the day. We encourage all pupils to take part in as many activities as possible, starting with the Virtual Sports’ Day on Wednesday 3rd June. Contact details are not public here, but in the College documents and via Firefly. Pupils and parents can also see relevant material in this Firefly section.

College Awards and Prizes

Warden’s Prizes

A challenge to all pupils at the College to produce a creative piece of work. It is not an academic task but one that will require imagination, ingenuity and practical skills. Final date: June 19^th?

Examples

Compose, perform and record an original piece of music;
Produce a piece of art work;
Make a model or mobile;
Design and build a robot;
Prepare and record a TED talk;
Write a computer programme;
Create an app;
Make a short film;
Make a photographic diary of the lockdown.

Other suggestions can be emailed to the Warden’s Office. There will be cash prizes in various categories and for different year groups. In September we will hold an exhibition of the best of the projects.

Form Prizes

(Dr Singleton)

These have been calculated on academic performance throughout the year, and those for Forms below Sixth will be announced at the end of term assembly.

Leadership Awards 2019-20

(Mr Jones)

These will be based on nominations by pupils and staff, and announced at the end of term assembly.

Willis Memorial Prize for Knowledge of Shakespeare

(Mr Girdham)

Sixth, Fifth and Fourth Forms. Those interested will receive the task directly, and will have a 48-hour period in which to complete it. There will be a general essay on Shakespeare’s plays, and a shorter task to analyse a sonnet by Shakespeare. No preparatory work is needed: candidates can use their knowledge of the plays they have already studied. Final date: June 14^th.

Peter Dix Memorial Senior Poetry Prize

(Mr Canning)

Sixth, Fifth and Fourth Forms. Candidates will submit between 2 and 5 poems in a portfolio based on the theme ‘Lockdown’. Full details and guidelines are on Firefly. Final date: June 14^th.

Junior Poetry Prize

(Ms Morley)

Third, Second and First Forms. Candidates write poems of at least 14 lines (as many as they like) on the theme of ‘Change’. Full details and guidelines are on Firefly. Final date: June 14^th.

Geology Prize

(Dr de Brit)

Fifth Form only. This will entail writing a research project in Geology on a topic of your choice.

Other Competitions, Activities & Ideas

(in alphabetical order: open to all Forms unless otherwise stated)

Art Activities

(Ms Cullen & Ms Murphy)

Artist talks every Thursday (same time as always: from 4 pm / 5 pm – 6ish)
A poster competition (on handwashing).
The Art History challenge (already on Firefly).

Biology/Art Project

(Mr Jones)

A competition for the best biological drawing. For full details click here (FireFly login required).

The Columban magazine

(Mr Girdham)

Look at the Chaplain’s ‘Lockdown’ album of photographs (photographs also at the bottom of this post) and write a paragraph on one of your favourite/most significant places in the College. The most interesting paragraphs will be published below the relevant photograph in the 2019-20 edition of the school magazine (out in the autumn). If you would like to write about another place, do so, and the Chaplain will take a photograph of it. Send entries to the Sub-Warden by the end of June.

Dúshlán Gaeilge | Irish Challenge

(Ms Lynch & Ms Maybury)

Competition: Pupils of Irish will be given a series of fun challenges to complete. They will be awarded points for each completed task and the pupil with the most points at the end wins. Examples of challenges include ‘translate an Irish poem into emojis’ and ‘make a meme as Gaeilge.’ Deadline: June 30^th.

Fifth Form Careers and University Applications

(Mr O’Shaughnessy)

During June there will be opportunities to discuss next year with your academic tutors, and to receive advice about early deadline UCAS, and UCAS personal statements.

Online meeting with Mr O’Shaughnessy: Friday 12^th June, 2.00pm Irish time (early deadline UCAS).
Online meeting with Mr O’Shaughnessy: Wednesday 17^th June, 2.00pm Irish time (UCAS personal statement writing meeting, and suggestions for research during the holidays).
23 UK universities are hosting aStudy in the UK Virtual Week from 1^st to 5^th June: a series of free webinars, live chats and Q&A sessions aimed at offering information, advice and guidance to prospective undergraduate students. Detailshere on Facebook.

Gaisce at Home

(Ms Lynch)

Our adventure journey which normally coincides with the Achill trip cannot take place this year. Gaisce participants are being offered two alternatives:

Adventure Journey Exploration project – written/audio/visual presentation or
The Backyard Adventure Journey – practical project. Relevant pupils will be contacted and briefed on these alternatives. Deadline: June 30^th.

Generation Lockdown Writes

(English Department)

An opportunity for writers in all Forms up to the age of 17 to share poems, stories, personal experiences of the recent months. Well-known authors will judge each age category, and a book of the best entries will be published in a book by John Catt Educational. Advice available from your English teacher. Full details at www.generationlockdown.co.uk(international entries are welcome).

Homeless Charity Events

(Mr Cron)

Events to raise money to feed the homeless using established charities which run food banks, and feeding and care schemes. It is planned also to set up mini-companies to help raise money, as well as for next term’s Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal. This is open to everyone, but particularly aimed at current Third Formers who intend to study Business in Fourth Form.

Mathematics Challenges

(Maths Department)

A competition to recreate al-Biruni’s experiment to calculate the radius of the earth. All details on the Mathematics Department Firefly page. There you will also find many puzzles, interesting videos as well as a suggested reading list to keep your mathematical brain going throughout June.

Mile-a-Day Challenge

(Ms Thompson)

We are challenging you to run a mile (1.61km) each day during the month of June! You can run outside or on a treadmill. Make sure you record your run using a fitness app and at the end of each run take a screenshot. At the end of each week upload your runs from the entire week to the Google Form below. Then do the same next week … If possible try to take a couple of videos of you running and send us in photos or videos of any nice scenery you see on your run or anything unusual or fun you notice. Upload link on Firefly.

NUA course (Scripture Union)

(Mr Cron & Reverend Owen)

Eight 15-minute videos will be watched and discussed, with two live Google Meetings a week. This course normally takes place in the Chaplain’s House, but is moving online in June.

On-Campus Performance

(Mr Swift)

Recording of eclectic performances by various live-in ensembles and individuals in front of a socially-distanced audience.

Politics Discussion Group – Crash Club Debate

(Ms Duggan)

Fifth Form. Bulletin/publication of Covid-19 research done by Politics Club members on the differing responses and approaches to the pandemic by 14 different countries around the world and, secondly, on imagining a better post-pandemic world.

Sports’ Day: Wednesday 3^rd June, 1.30 to 5.00pm Irish time.

(Mrs Johnson)

A series of 10 challenges in teams, with the overall winning team announced at the end. Points from previous competitions (the Sports’ Day girls’ hockey and the rugby 7s) will be added. The challenges will be sent out via a Google Form, and Mrs Johnson will send plenty more detail in advance.

Sport Skill & Drill Challenges

(Mr Canning)

Some of our own sports’ coaches and stars have compiled a series of videos that we can all practise to improve our skills and hand-eye coordination over the summer months. Thanks to Mr Kemp and the Senior girls’ hockey squad for putting together an eclectic range of coordination skills and ‘keepy-uppy passing drills we can all copy. Thanks also to our gifted junior Hockey player Harry St. Leger and our talented Irish under-23 squad member Sophia Cole for setting advanced ‘skills and drills’ challenges for you all to master. See the videos on Firefly.

Staff Baby Photograph Competition

(Mr Girdham)

An online competition in aid of Purple House cancer support charity. Identify which beautiful baby is now a member of staff. The link will be sent to all pupils on June 3^rd, for completion by June 13^th (with voluntary contributions to Purple House).

The Submarine

(Ms Duggan)

Editors Avi Johnston and Edna Johnston want to hear from you. Pupils in all year groups are invited to submit their artwork, poetry, book reviews, movie/gaming reviews, crosswords, think pieces, photographs etc., for the Hilary Term edition. Or you could just complete the following (in up to 100 words) “The first thing I’ll do after lockdown is…” Email all submissions to submarinescc@gmail.com by June 8^th.

Tóraíocht Taisce Gaeilge | Irish Treasure Hunt

(Ms Lynch & Ms Maybury)

Competition: Pupils of Irish will be given a list of items as Gaeilge to find around their house and/or neighbourhood, put them all together and take a photo. Deadline – June 8^th.

Typing Tournament

(Ms McEneaney)

It is a good time to develop proper touch-typing skills. Log in to your typing.com account or create an account using your school email address. Join the tournament using this link. Work through the exercises keeping your hands covered with a tea towel. See typing instructions on Firefly. The winners will be the top three typists (most time spent and highest accuracy). Deadline: June 20th.

Transition Year (Ms Kilfeather)

Get Cooking: send in your best 10-minute meal. This must include a recipe and a short video link of you preparing it. Prize for the best! If you would rather cook someone else’s recipe have a look at ‘The best 10-minute meals’ from The Guardian. Deadine, Friday 5th.
Some of you had signed up for Rosemary Smith’s driving school intensive 1-day course which has naturally been cancelled. You may like to get a copy of the Rules of the Road and then answer a 40-question quiz: email Ms Kilfeather by Monday 9^th.
Don’t forget our wildlife as the weather gets hotter. Learn how to make a simple bird bath at home. Check out this clip. Enjoy and don’t forget to send Ms Kilfeather your efforts: there are prizes for the best and most imaginative ones. Deadline: Fridat 12^th.
TY took off with speed in September and disappointedly ended abruptly. I’d like you all to volunteer one word only to describe your TY experience up to March. You must draw this word and make it as colourful as possible then send it on to me and I will put all 72 words together to make a cool collage of all your submissions. Please initial each drawing too. Deadline: Wednesday 10^th.
Keep your mind busy with these simple online Spanish and French online crosswords.
Bad hair day? Send on any photos of your DIY haircuts during the lockdown – not sure about prizes but definitely worth a giggle, ‘because you’re worth it.’
For those of you who get rainy days in June and you’re looking for some escapism, check out 100 best movies of all time.