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This Friday students from Tollesby, Homewood and the Pathways project were at the Study Support Centre taking part in their weekly DJ skills course. They took some time out from cutting and scratching and dropping beats to tell a few jokes in front of the camera in aid of Comic Relief.
Mobile Bullies is a film made in partnership with students from a year six class from St. Joseph’s school in Middlesbrough with Middlesbrough Football Club’s Playing for Success project and the help of Middlesbrough Media Zone.
Students from St. Joseph’s making a film
Behind the scenes on location
The DVD cover
Lizzie is a young girl who is alone. Nobody wants to know Lizzie and her ‘friend’ Chloe has made sure of this. Too afraid to tell her teacher or her parents, Lizze finds herself with nowhere to turn. Even her life at home is ruined by text messages and phone calls. However, a chance encounter, early one morning reveals more than she could have ever expected to know.
The film was premiered in front of a full house at Cineworld in Middlesbrough and was later shown at the Odeon in London’s Leicester Square where it was nominated in the ‘Best Drama’ category of the First Light Movies awards.
Students from Hall Garth school and members of their family have been at the Riverside this week take part the Communicating for Success project.
The participants worked closely with poet, author and Boro fan Andy Croft to create unique poetry based around football memories. Newly learned ICT skills were then put into practice to create a short film with evocative images and music with the spoken words of their poems.
Stewart talks about the importance of communication
Word wizards with a wing wizard
Stewart faces questions from the group
Boro and England winger Stewart Downing was our special guest on the final day and was treated to several of these short films including poem all about himself.
After the presentation Stuart was the focus in a question and answer session where he revealed his thoughts on many subjects including progressing through the Boro ranks, playing for England and his career as a DJ.
Up and coming Boro youngster Josh Walker joined students from Captain Cook’s this afternoon at the Study Support Centre and his presence cause quite a stir. Reporters and photographers came to interview and photograph the latest Boro wonder kid but not Josh helped the students with their task.
The students were asked to rank the various ‘Qualities of a Captain’ in order of importance such as, ‘The Most skillful player’, ‘Someone who’s good at shouting’ and ‘Someone who’s cool and calm under pressure’ and Josh was on hand to offer his expert opinion having captained England at under 17, 18 and 19 level.
Josh helps Captain Cook students
Three cameras trained on our guest
Professional journalists interview Josh
Facing some tough questions
Happy to meet a hero
Josh with students from Captain Cook
He then answered the students’ questiontions about his career so far, future amibitions and his taste in music, turning up some interesting and unexpected responses. Finally the professional journalists got their chance to speak to the next big thing in a Boro shirt as students from Captain Cook said goodbye.
Students with their parents and teachers from Hall Garth Community Arts College were invited to the study support centre to take part in a Communicating for Success training session. Interview skills such as asking open questions where the interviewee can answer with an explaination rather than closed questions where a simple yes or no answer will do. Everyone also learned how to use a microphone and GarageBand to record the interview.
Students attempt to solve a tricky puzzle
Inter-generational Communication in action
Parents, staff and students share their memories
All of this training was to prepare the participants for an event to be hosted at Hall Garth Community Arts College on Wednesday 11th February between 10:00am-11:45am.
The event will see Boro ledgends Frank Spraggon, Alan Peacock and Jim Platt share their football memories with students and their family and friends. These audio from these conversations will be captured and used later in poems that the participants will write with the assistance of published poet and author Andy Croft. The poems will then be put to pictures and music using the centre’s ICT facilities.
Follow the link if you would like to know more about the Communicating for Success project.
This evening the students from All Saints were using the centre’s television studio to record a promotional advertisement for their Riverside Stadium Tour. Using green screen technology, the students were able to superimpose some footage of the Boro in action behind themselves whilst delivering a powerful advertising message.
Green Screen Technology
All Saints’ version of the Auto-Cue
Green Screen work with All Saints
All Saints must be experts by now as someone forgot to push the record button and so they had to go back into the studio to record it all again. It’s a good thing the students really enjoyed the activity!
This afternoon we had a special guest join is at the Study Support Centre, Welsh international and Boro startlet Rhys Williams.
Rhys was happy to answer questions that the students from Newport had prepared for him and talked openly about his life in Austraila, signing for the Boro and his international career.
Rhys Williams poses with students from Newport
Rhys Williams is the centre of Newport’s attention
Rhys Williams answers Newport’s questions
Click below to hear what Rhys has to say when he met students from Newport Primary.
The Riverside Suite hosted the MFC Playing for Success project’s presentation evening on Tuesday December 9th. Students from primary and secondary schools from across Middlesbrough attended the award ceremony where their achievements were marked with certificated, trophies and special prizes.
The students were celebrating the end of a ten week literacy course where the football club has been the focus of their learning.
Making the evening even more memorable was Premiership star Robert Huth who presented the students with their awards. The Boro defender arrived to a hero’s welcome from the 150+ students, parents and teachers and later posed for pictures and signed autographs.
Robert Huth signs autographs
The presentation audience
Park End students pose with Robert Huth
Martin Hedgley centre manager commented on the success of the evening. “Robert’s attendance capped off a very successful ten week course and helped make the awards evening very special. Having a Premiership star share in your success and celebrate your achievements is a great way to mark the end of the course.”
One excited students said, “The course was fun and we learned a lot but meeting Robert Huth was the best bit!”.
It wasn’t just the students that were excited though. One parent remarked, “My son has taken part in the Playing for Success course and has enjoyed coming every time. The children took us on a guided tour around the stadium last week and this week we all get to meet a Boro player!”.
Students from Newlands and St. Pius enjoyed a surprise in their session this week when Boro star Julio Arca dropped in to the Study Support Centre. Whilst he was there the students took the opportunity to involve Julio in an activity called “Qualities of a Captain”. This activity requires students to rank personal attributes that a captain may have in order of importance. Having Julio there allowed the students to get an expert opinion from the former captain.
St. Pius students enjoy the Qualities of a Captain excercise
Julio Arca poses with St. Pius students
Julio Arca signs autographs for St. Pius students
The students also had the chance to take part in a question and answer session with Julio where he answered questions ranging from “Who is you football hero?” to “What do you like to do in your spare time?”.
Julio kindly stayed a little while longer to sign autographs and pose for pictures with the students before giving an interview for Boro TV.
alt="Playing for Success"
alt="Playing for Success"
alt="Middlesbrough Council"
alt="ASDAN"
alt="Vinvolved"