Journeys + Words = Poems and Stories at the University of Nottingham

NUSA students showcase their creative writing skills on a regional platform (10/03/2015)

Twenty NUSA students from across Key Stage 3 and 4 represented the Academy at the First Story East Midlands Writing Afternoon on Wednesday 4th March at the University of Nottingham.  Our writers were warmly welcomed into the prestigious Senate Chamber by Rebecca Goldsmith, regional programme officer for First Story, who opened the proceedings with a fantastic visual poetry piece by Andy Craven-Griffiths.

Students were then divided into two working groups and took a brief tour of the University Park campus, led by current undergraduate students, offering our pupils a real insight into university life and study.  Students were then brought back into writing workshops with other attending schools; our KS3 group worked with writer, Steve Cawte on emotive writing about others and our KS4 group worked with Andy Craven-Griffiths on 'Reverse Writing'.  Some of the pieces of work produced can be read here. 

Finally, all schools gathered back together to hear a couple of pieces from each workshop.  Congratulations to James Roberts in Year 7, who read his piece to all attendees and this will now be published in the NUSA anthology in summer.  Kyra Adlington in Year 11 also did a wonderful job of reading her piece.  Many thanks go to the First Story organisers and the University of Nottingham for a wonderfully inspirational and creative afternoon and all of our First Story students listed below for representing the Academy so positively, with good manners, enthusiasm and input!

Maddison Larcombe (Year 7), Katie Wilson (Year 7), James Roberts (Year 7), Shanade Power (Year 7), Shelbie Harrison (Year 7), Holly Read (Year 7), Shirley Miranda (Year 8), Sally Russell (Year 8), Tom Swinton (Year 9), Abi Johnson (Year 10), Jaydon Shooter (Year 10), Jasmine White (Year 10), Kaylee Hempenstall (Year 10), Bethany Richards (Year 10), Kayleigh Chappell (Year 10), Caitlin Charlesworth (Year 10), Amalyah Byrd (Year 11), Ally Robson (Year 11) and Kyra Adlington (Year 11).  Thanks also to NUSA First Story Student Ambassador and Bilborough College volunteer, Kitty Wright Sheppard.

"It was wonderful to see so many young people from across the region coming together to be creative, and representing their schools so beautifully." Rebecca Goldsmith, First Story Programme Officer for the East Midlands

"It was a great privilege to have your students there sharing their work, and to hear so many stunning pieces of writing coming out of the workshops." Emily Webb, First Story National Programme Officer.