Successful end to a tough year at Grantown Grammar School
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Grantown Grammar School’s headteacher has praised the resilience and creativity of sixth-form pupils at their graduation and prize-giving event.
The school held three different celebratory events in the last week of the academic year and “all with military Covid-19-style precision”.
There was a junior disco, graduation ceremony and senior prom.
Headteacher Claire McGonigal told the Strathy: “With a very tight invitation list, and full ventilation in the marquee together with copious hand sanitiser, we managed to run them all successfully.”
In her speech at the graduation night, the head told pupils they had overcome adversity this past year and to draw on that experience in the years to come.
For much of the past academic year they were studying online and away from their classmates.
She said that they were only a small group – originally 45 pupils when joining the school in 2015 – but their “presence and influence in the school over the last six years has been massive”.
Mrs McGonigal told the Strathy: "We managed to hold three events at the end of term by hiring a marquee and having massive amounts of ventilation and hand sanitiser on the school pitch together with other Covid measures and military style organisation!
"All three – the junior disco, graduation and senior prom – were very successful. Everyone enjoyed being outside and we're now thinking that a summer prom is the way to go next year too although hopefully without the ceilidh dancing in bubbles.
"It was lovely to be able to give pupils, parents and staff some celebratory events to end what has been a very difficult year.
"I would very much like to thank the whole school community, pupils, parents, staff and partners for the incredible resilience, cooperation and hard work.
"None of us could have got through the last year by ourselves, we all needed each other.
"Although this was the worst of years, it definitely showed the best in us as a school community."
This year's guest speaker was Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director of Gordon and MacPhail.
Mrs McGonigal said: "Ewen gave an excellent speech about the Gordon and MacPhail ethos and vision as well as his journey to managing director.
"As a community and family company, I think that Gordon and MacPhail will be great partners for Grantown Grammar School to work with in the future as we share the same values.
Read full report and more photos in today's Strathy now on sale.
Grantown Grammar School prize-winners 2021:
Secondary 4
Sophie Buchan 4RY National 5 Art & Design; Holly Corcoran 4RY National 5 Hospitality, National 5 Music; Alice Kemsley 4RY National 5 Biology, National 5 Chemistry; Rio Nicolson 4RY National 5 Computing Science, National 5 Physics; Isla Oakes 4RY National 5 English; Olivia Robinson 4RY National 5 History.
Rose Allan 4RN Higher Art & Design; Molly Pawsey 4RN National 5 Physical Education; Calum Collie 4RK National 5 Graphic Communications; Ronald Macpherson 4RK National 5 Metalwork, National 5 Woodwork; Ciara Sutherland 4RK National 5 French, Higher History.
Secondary 5
Sophie Borthwick 5RY National 5 Mathematics; Robert Kearton 5RY National 5 Latin, Higher Biology, Higher English; Calum Mackintosh 5RY Higher French; Charlie Speedie 5RY National 5 Geography; Iris Westbrook 5RY Higher Geography.
Rosie Anderson 5RN Higher Modern Studies; Bailie Grant 5RN Higher Music; Alfie Roberts 5RN Higher Physical Education; Seamus Swan 5RK Higher Chemistry, Higher Mathematics, Higher Physics.
Secondary 6
Lucy Edmondson 6RY Advanced Higher Geography; Luke Nicolson 6RY Higher Computing Science; Morven Rose 6RY National 5 Mathematics;
Gemma Ballam 6RN Higher Spanish, Advanced Higher Music; Callum Filer 6RN Higher Photography; Jen Mackenzie 6RN Higher Graphic Communications; Jaime Mackenzie-Thom 6RN National 5 Application of Mathematics, Advanced Higher Art & Design – Expressive.
Poppy Riach 6RK Level 6 NPA Exercise, Fitness & Leadership; Edana Sutherland 6RK Advanced Higher French
Special awards
The Julia Scott Trophy for Presentation in Hospitality Lexie Murray; The Michael MacLennan Senior Music Prize Gemma Ballam; The Kerr Art in the Environment Award Rebekah Bissett; The Trudie Sutton Rosebowl for Presentation in Home Economics Isla Oakes; The Peter Moir Medal in Science for Achievement in National 5 Biology, Callum Filer.
The Endeavour Award for Hard Work and Determination Morven Rose; The Tracey Lawson Prize for Musical Talent Emily Strang; The Grantown-on-Spey & District Twinning Association Edana Sutherland; The Cairngorm National Park Award for Humanities Anna Cox; Service to School Community Award Rosie Broadhurst and Lucy Edmondson.
The Miller Trophy for All Round Achievement Duncan Maver; Senior Sportsman Award James Blair; Senior Sportswoman Award Eilidh MacGilvray; The Harvey Dux Prize for 2020 Emily Strang.
School Captain: Emily Strang; School Vice-Captain: Lucy Edmondson.
Revack House Captains: Poppy Riach and Edana Sutherland.
Revack Prefects: Daisy Bryce and Anna MacAndrews
Revoan House Captain Gemma Ballam; Revoan Vice-Captain Rosie Broadhurst; Revoan Prefect Eilidh MacGilvray
Roy House Captain Morven Rose; Roy Vice-Captain Christie Rose; Roy Prefect: Amber Beange.
House Cups
Studies Cup Roy; House Sports Cup: Revack; Overall winner of the House Cup 2021: Roy.
Secondary 5 Leavers: 5RK Rachael Blair, Anna Cox, Jessica Schulz, Campbell Strang; 5RN James Blair, Leona Shek; 5RY Molly Donaldson.
Secondary 6 Leavers: 6RK Daisy Bryce, Blair Gordon, Finlay Jennings, Jessica Johnson, Julia Lennon, Anna MacAndrews, May Palm, Poppy Riach, Edana Sutherland & Charley Taylor.
6RY Shane Barclay, Amber Beange, Lucy Edmondson, Eilish Henderson, Duncan Maver, Luke Nicolson, Sol Misty Robson, Christie Rose, Morven Rose & Finn Wells.
6RN Gemma Ballam, Rosie Broadhurst, Callum Filer, Candy Macdonald, Eilidh MacGilvray, Jen Mackenzie, Jaime Mackenzie-Thom, Elise Masson, Liam O’Connor, Tom Price & Emily Strang.
