Year 10: Aspire
Tuesday 11th July to Saturday 15th July
74 students attended Aspire, which was a Summer School for year 10 students from Northamptonshire. The Summer School took place over five days and was a Residential Summer School at The University of Northampton. This is the Leaders account of what happened ...
Tues 11th July
Students started arriving from 3pm, meeting us at the Students Union to register and drop off their bags! After we had welcomed everyone and introduced ourselves, students were put into their flat teams and had the opportunity to see their new homes for the next five days! After a campus tour, we all sat down in the sun for a yummy BBQ at the Students Union. some of the students played giant Jenga, whilst others gossiped and got to know each other!
After dinner we had 'Team Challenges'! Everyone had to take part in all sorts of games, such as getting themselves into order of height (not easy with 80 people!) and order of birthday! We also had games of Splat outside with Guru Stu, making faces using edible ingredients downstairs in the union with Guru Laura and sports games with Guru Hayley upstairs! After we'd all met some new people and made new friends, everyone went back to the flats to start work on their flat team posters!
Weds 12th July
The day started with a presentation and Higher Education quiz (in an attempt to wake everyone up!). After this session, everyone divided into their subject groups and went off to do their project work for the rest of the day. Before the Summer School started, students had to choose which subject they would want to do for the week, choosing from Motorsport Engineering at Silverstone (through Thresham Institute), Horse & Rider Fitness at Moulton College, Childcare at Northampton College, Music for Film or Business Marketing based at the University. After a busy day learning about something new, it was back to the library to do some research in their chosen subject. After we had worked hard. well, some of the students had worked hard in the library (!) we all went to see some of the university students graduating. We all watched from the side as the university tutors 'processed' into the posh marquee and saw everyone in their graduation gowns and mortar board hats! After a hard days work, it was time to chill out in the sun shine! Some of the students played footie, whilst others played rounders or sat in the sunshine.
At 6pm we all went to the union for dinner - fish and chips! After this, we had an evening of outdoor games combined with Circus Skills! We all had a go at juggling, balancing peacock feathers, stilt walking and plate spinning! One of the students was so good that our clown wanted to recruit him as his apprentice!
Thurs 13th July
Thursday started with a morning of project work. The Horse & Rider Fitness group were testing their pulse rates before and after riding horses; the Motorsport group were in the workshop replacing wheels of sports cars and testing different parts of the engines; the Business group were tasting different makes of Coca Cola and working on their own brands of 'Coke'; the Music students were combining their music skills and putting a sound track to a piece of film and the Childcare students were learning about 'Play' and putting this into practice by making play dough and making up games to engage young children! After their lunch, everyone had to get into their 'quiz' teams to create questions for the evenings quiz. Once that was done - it was off to the outdoor activity centre in Leicester! The day was glorious so we didn't have to worry about getting wet - unless you were in the canoeing or kayaking group! Other activities were quad biking, archery and abseiling! Everyone had a great time and let off a bit of steam! After nearly leaving Guru Naj behind at the activity centre (!) we all started what was a long journey home - getting stuck in a traffic jam when you are hot, hungry and tired wasn't the best way to finish a great afternoon, but we all got home safely and chilled out in the sunshine before our evening meal of takeaway pizza's!
After dinner, the Guru's rearranged the Students Union for the Summer School quiz! We had Aimhigher staff Zara and Amy working with Judge Jennie to set up the quiz and the 'Quiz Challenges'! Students all had to nominate members of their team between quiz rounds to undertake a challenge from the Guinness Book of Records. Challenges such as transferring sweetcorn from one bowl to another just using a toothpick, or using a straw to move smarties from one plate to another! The Guru Challenge was to make a balloon ferret - we had some very strange interpretations of this too! Whilst waiting for the quiz results, Leader Tash and Guru Adam put some 'tunes' on the get everyone up and dancing - floor, tables. students had a lot more energy then some of the Gurus! After the quiz it was back to the Halls - and to bed!
Fri 14th July
Friday daytime consisted of project work for everyone. Students also had to start working on their group presentations, in preparation for Saturday's performance. As everyone had worked so hard during the week, we changed the programme slightly and let everyone have an extra hours chill-out time. This was a much needed rest, and whilst some of us sat in the sun, some of the students were playing footie or frisbee - all wearing factor 15 sun lotion as even at 4pm the sun was really hot!
At 6pm it was back into the flats to 'Get Creative' and work as a flat group to design a 'Western' themed prop for the Western party! It also gave everyone plenty of time to make themselves look beautiful for the party, and to get their glad rags on!
Party! Yee Hah! At 7.30pm the Bucking Bull had arrived and the party could start! There were some fabulous props, from the winners Guru Adam's flat who made an (almost) human sized cow, to a totem pole, horses (made from the sweeping brushes!), foil guns and feathered head dresses. We also had some great fancy dress - Guru Ria looked fabulous as a Native American, and we had our very own Milky Bar kid! Almost everyone had made some effort for the Western theme, from sparkly cowboy hats to feathered headdresses... everyone looked great.
