| Life Enhancing Rotary Scheme |
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| Written by Bill Sutton |
| Tuesday, 30 September 2008 23:00 |
 On Thursday 25th September two Horbury youngsters, Danny Gibson and Marie Shires spent their evening with the Horbury and Ossett Rotary Club weekly meeting and told them about their experience of the Rotary Youth Leadership Award Scheme which had taken place in July.
The two 16 year olds were both pupils of the Horbury School when selected from year 11 pupils to attend the one week Leadership Award Scheme after completing their GCSEs. They told how despite being a little apprehensive on arrival at the Hebden Hey Outdoor Centre, near Hebden Bridge, they were quickly involved with 22 other young people in activities such as building rafts, fell walking, building bivouacs, and crossing ravines of zip wires. Along the way they were given various leadership problems and tasks to resolve in teams of four, with a different team member taking the lead role for each task.
Both spoke of the confidence they had built in themselves, but also in their team members; of the strong friendships they had built with others on the scheme; and the improvements in their communications, social and leadership skills. They summed the week up as ‘a life enhancing experience’.
Danny and Marie were accompanied on their visit to the Rotary Club by members of their families who remarked on the difference they had seen in them on their return from the scheme – more confident but also more understanding and conscious of other people.
The Phoenix Rotary Club has been sending pupils on the Leadership awards scheme for the past 12 years, funding the £400 per person cost from monies raised through the Horbury Show, the forthcoming boxing evening and other events. President Jim Donnan said, “We are delighted that Danny and Marie gained so much from the Award Scheme and their presentation to us reflected their confidence and enthusiasm. It also confirmed our confidence to continue supporting the development of young people by sending two more on next years scheme.”
Between them, Danny and Marie gained 22 GCSEs including several at A* and are both going on to study for A levels at Ossett School 6th form. Danny has also become the Wakefield Express Face of Wakefield.
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 04 February 2010 08:11 |