Thursday 3 November saw 29 students from 10 Dumfries and Galloway secondary schools take part in official Launch day for a new School Sport Journalism project.
The project created by our Council’s Active schools and Community Sport team aims to give students within secondary schools who have a keen interest in journalism, to report on all school specific sporting successes as well attend regional and national events with the team to report on how well our region’s sports teams are performing against the best in the country. The project aims to see an increase in school sport profile both locally and nationally.
The student journalists who range from S3 to S6 will work closely with their own schools staff, their active schools officer and regional school sports officer to help raise the profile of secondary school sport reporting on everything from school based sports initiatives/activities, after school club highlights, intra and inter school competitions for both teams and solo athletes, regional finals and national competitions. SSJ’s will complete articles and will be invited to attend regional events so they have the opportunity to experience larger scale events and work with different sports/in different settings.
As part of the project Launch Day the students interviewed a number of ex and semi-professional athletes in the morning, asking everything from their past experiences in sport, career highlights and plans for the future.
A big thank you to the following athletes who volunteered to support the event;
Chris Jardine – former Annan FC Captain
Mairi Gordon – World Champion Baton Twirler competitor
Jacqui Byers – Scottish Junior Curling Champion
Senga Thomson – Senior Table Tennis Internationalist
Martin Grubb – Great Britain Ice Hockey Head Coach
Steven Kirkpatrick – U18 Scottish Snooker internationalist
Laurie Clark – international Lacrosse player.
After lunch our students underwent an ‘interview preparation’ workshop with ITV Borders Lori Carnochan before watching Lori interview Sally Conway, Rio Olympic Judo bronze medallist about her career in the sport and the challenges and successes throughout.
The final part of the Launch day saw all 29 student journalist interview both Lori and Sally on their careers all of which was streamed live on Facebook. Visit ‘DGCSecondarySchoolSport’ to watch the recording.
This new project has the full support of the Council’s Children, Young People and Lifelong Learning Committee Chairman, Councillor Jeff Leaver;
“Our Council places a high emphasis on giving each child in the region the best possible start in life. Through projects like this, and by utilising our good links with local athletes and the local media, we’ve been able to put on a great day’s experience for the young people taking part. I would like to thank those who gave up their time to help make the day a success, and look forward to reading the reports of the many sporting successes that take place in our schools right across Dumfries and Galloway.”
Sally Conway said;
“I thought the project was really great. It’s an amazing opportunity for the youngsters to get a real taste of what it would be like to be a reporter. They all came up with some brilliant questions and kept myself and Lori on our toes. The young students really got involved and got the most of the day, it was great to see and be a part of, and I wish them all the best.”
Lori Carnochan said;
“I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the launch day at Dumfries Academy. As a former pupil of the school it was not only great to see the students from Dumfries Academy taking part, but those from across the whole region. I was very impressed by the enthusiasm shown by all of the students when putting questions to myself and Sally. There are many stars of the future there I’m sure. Hopefully Sally and I have encouraged them to chase their dreams, in whatever chosen field that may be.”
Now the hard work truly begins! Each student will send in their reports, all which are checked by a member of their schools English Departments before they are uploaded onto each area’s Active Schools and Community Sport pages as well as the Secondary sport page mentioned above and the regions twitter feed (@DGCSport).
The reports will also be sent to our Council’s communications department to distribute amongst the local media.
Our regions school sports profile will soon sore thanks to our fantastic School Sport Journalists!
Group shot of students and volunteers attached
Pupils from;
Stranraer, Douglas Ewart, Sanqhuar, Wallace Hall, Maxwelltown High, Dumfries Academy, Dumfries High school, St Joseph’s College, Annan Academy, Annan Academy and Lockerbie Academy.
