Page 63 - Herioter 2021

Allermuir in midterm - one of the perks of taking part in the Race to Kenya Challenge
The importance – writing in the spring edition of the Independent internationally recognised award for excellence
The Eco-Schools Green Flag is an
School Parent – stressed the need for pupils,
of living (and parents and teachers to ‘keep a sense of in environmental action and learning. The award
perspective and protect our mental wellbeing’.
recognised the contributions that Eco Club in the
He added: ‘Keeping ourselves going, at a time Junior School and EARTH in the Senior School
learning) of such global challenge, and keeping ourselves have made towards promoting a greener future,
healthy is achievement in itself. The children’s both of which are marked elsewhere in The
In the whirl of a second month of remote learning will recover; most schools saw evidence Herioter.
teaching and learning it was easy to get lost in of as much early in the autumn. Our unofficial On a smaller but nonetheless important scale,
the day-to-day grind of work, work – and more motto at George Heriot’s is “Work Hard, Be individual pupils also sought to exemplify the
work. But, as the saying goes, ‘all work and no Kind, Be Happy”. In encouraging the children to school’s ‘distributing cheerfullie’ ethos.
play makes Jack a dull boy’. The definition of keep showing kindness to all around them, we Maddie Boyes (S5) spent the midterm break
‘play’ in the 17th century proverb has widened in are surely steering them towards a happy path volunteering with Edinburgh charity Empty
the intervening years, but in a Heriot’s context we through these dark times.’ Kitchens, which involved working as a kitchen
can take it to mean a variety of things: exercising, In February, there was an attempt, therefore, porter, washing cooking pots and pans, and
getting outside, eating as healthily as possible, not merely to offer empty soundbites, but to sanitising them, and readying items for the
sleeping well, remembering to do the things you demonstrate a commitment to ‘keeping ourselves chefs. Hamish Robertson (P7), meanwhile, was
love doing, cherishing good mental health, and of healthy’. inspired by an appeal from St Cuthbert’s Church
course distributing ‘chearfullie’. The effort was symbolised by the spirit of for sleeping bags for the homeless ahead of
This idea was crystalised by Mr Morrison who the ‘Race to Kenya Challenge’. In recognition forecasted cold weather and snow. Hamish
of the long-standing relationship between the pooled his Christmas and pocket money, and
school and Kenyan communities, where the bought a sleeping bag to donate.
work of Heriot’s pupils at the Mitero, Irura and Small actions count, as Maddie and Hamish,
Ethi primaries over the last eight years, has have shown, as well as every individual step
been transformational, a pledge was made that propelled the school to Kenya. More than
to collaboratively run or walk 6,631 miles, the anything, though, the actions of February
distance from Edinburgh to Kenya, in the 28 days reminded us all that as important as teaching
of February. and learning is, there is more to life.
Growing from the humble origins of a handful
of runners logging their miles on the Strava app Mr Jonny Muir
at the start of the month, the group swelled to
more than 100 pupils, former pupils, parents, staff
and friends of the school. From a half-mile dog
walk around the block at breaktime to marathon
performances, the group made it to Kenya with a
couple of days to spare. The milestone of getting
to Eastern Africa prompted a typical Heriot’s
response from one pupil: ‘Now can we run back?’
The experience of so many of us running and
walking outside reminded us of the importance
of the environment – and so it was fitting that
Heriot’s was awarded a seventh Eco-Schools
Heriot’s earned an Eco-Schools Green Flag Award in Green Flag Award in February. Miss Anni Arthur led pupils and staff in
recognition of efforts such as this beach clean stretching sessions to boost wellbeing
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