Scottish Borders Council supports new Achievers website to inspire youngsters
Friday, July 20 2007
Former Jedburgh Grammar School pupil, Karen Gillon MSP went back to school recently to mark the launch of Scottish Borders Council’s involvement in the new ‘Achievers UK’ website, www.achieversuk.com.
Karen met with SBC’s Chief Executive, David Hume, and Director of Education & Lifelong Learning, Glenn Rodger, to mark the launch of the website which highlights the success of former pupils of schools across the country. Thanks to the involvement of SBC’s Lawrence Alexander, who leads the Determined to Succeed (DtS) initiative, the website now includes primary and secondary schools from the Scottish Borders, and Karen is one of the first achievers to feature on the site.
Karen explained why she thinks the website is a very valuable resource: “The website is not just about famous people or those who are in the public eye - it also includes people who provide vital services to their local communities. These individuals are excellent role models for young people and it is important that youngsters are aware that these people are actually former pupils of the schools they currently attend. This will hopefully give them the motivation to go out and achieve their own ambitions and realise they could become achievers, like their successful predecessors.”
David Hume, Chief Executive of SBC added: “This website gives young people real-life examples of achievers who once sat in the same classroom as them and were once taught by the same teachers or who are, perhaps, teaching them today. It demonstrates that people from their backgrounds can go on to succeed in many different fields. I am sure the website will be a great success and will be used widely in schools and homes across the region.”
Patrick Gaffney, Director of ‘The Schools Project’ which runs the website, explained how the system works: "When a local achiever is identified, a short profile is placed on the website with each school cluster having its own distinct area. The profiles are used by teachers in a range of class activities and there is also a special online challenge for pupils about Scottish Borders. Local businesses can also get involved in the scheme by sponsoring prizes for the online Scottish Borders Quiz.”
Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Glenn Rodger, explained his enthusiasm for the new resource: “Since the start of the Determined to Succeed initiative, schools across the Borders have implemented many imaginative projects to encourage young people to have a 'can do' attitude, becoming more responsible and independent - this website will help strengthen this work.”
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