Introducing Crew Parkinson…

16th September 2018H Hickson

Crew HHI (as we were known until now) have been busy deciding on our Crew name over the last week.

We started with about 25 suggestions of inspirational people, before narrowing it down to Charles Darwin, Rosa Parks, Steven Spielberg and Ben Parkinson.

The pupils then researched these 4 people and presented their argument for why we should vote for the person they wanted our Crew to be named after. Well done to all crew members who presented with confidence and clarity.

Then came our confidential vote – the moment of truth!

It was very close, with Parkinson winning by 1 vote.

So, why Ben Parkinson?

Paratrooper Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson is regarded as one of the most injured soldiers to survive the war in Afghanistan. In 2006 the vehicle he was in detonated an anti-tank mine, which caused Ben to have over 40 injuries. He suffered brain damage, which impacted his speech, and needed both legs amputated due to his injuries. It was thought he wouldn’t walk, talk or even survive his injuries but the sheer determination shown by Ben has meant that he has achieved this. Ben has been awarded an MBE and has taken part in a variety of challenges and charity work to raise awareness and gain support for other injured service personnel.

Our Crew have been learning about WW1 in their expedition ‘Over the Top’ and they have explored the qualities and characteristics associated with soldiers.  Courage, determination, defying all odds, loyalty and compassion are all qualities shown by Ben and are characteristics valued by XP East. Therefore, the majority of the Crew felt Ben was the best inspirational person to name our Crew after, as he embodies the characteristics that we value as individuals and as a school.

He really is an inspiration to us all – and also a Donny lad!

 

 

 

 

 

Crew Ali step into the ring

15th September 2018J Townson

There were several candidates for our Crew name, but Ruben’s nomination of the boxer, activist and philanthropist, Muhammad Ali, was a clear winner when the votes were cast in a secret ballot.

He demonstrated relentless courage to keep going, even against huge odds; he was compassionate, being named one of the first United Nations Messengers of Peace for his humanitarian work and campaigns against apartheid, illustrating his respect for people around the world; he trained and fought with such craftsmanship and quality that he was widely considered to be the greatest boxer in his heavyweight class; his integrity was such that even though he stood to lose his titles, he held true to his beliefs and refused to fight in the Vietnam war, even when he was drafted by the US government.

In response to the question, “What would you like people to think of you when you’re gone?“, Muhammad Ali said: “I’d like for them to say he took a few cups of love. He took one tablespoon of patience, one teaspoon of generosity, one pint of kindness; he took one quart of laughter, one pinch of concern. And then, he mixed willingness with happiness, he added lots of faith and he stirred it up well. Then he spread it over a span of a life time and he served it to each and every deserving person he met.”

Just like Muhammad Ali, our Crew have already demonstrated huge amounts of courage by stepping out of their Familiar Zones and into the Learning Zone at XP East.  Our Outward Bound adventures built a strong foundation for us and we will continue to be courageous together as Crew Ali.

Introducing crew KHA

By A Brown9th September 2018

This weekend I’ve been reflecting back on our first day as crew, particularly the half hour we spent in the car park at the very start of our journey: the uncertainty of what the next few days had in store for us, the slight worry of not knowing the strangers stood around our circle, combined with the usual first-day nerves (yes, teachers feel them too!) It feels so surreal thinking back to those moments now, knowing how far our crew have come in just 2 weeks.

Just 4 short hours after meeting in the car park, our crew were running into the freezing estuary, all linked up, with a promise not to let go no matter how cold it got. We finished our ‘jog and dip’ with chattering smiles. I was immensely proud, and I know the 12 shivering crew members standing before me were too.

This was possibly our first experience of what ‘crew’ truly is. Crew is a fundamental part of what we do across XP and XP East, some think of it as like a small form, but the reality runs deeper than that. Naomi, our fantastic Outward Bound instructor, explained that crew is a navy term. She told us that during training, navy crews would spend hours floating in the same formation that we did our jog and dip in, so if one crew member fell asleep in the water, the rest would keep them afloat.

That analogy felt fitting for the rest of the weekend. Various members of the crew, at times, were struggling. This was due to their heavy bags, walking uphill, making beds, setting up camp, packing their bags, doing a speech, missing home, rowing – the experience was challenging but extremely rewarding. What impressed me above all of the amazing outdoorsy achievements we made during the week, was actually how compassionate and respectful our each student was to their fellow crew members. I truly believe that what got us up the mountain wasn’t physical strength, or stamina, but the support my crew provided for each other during the expedition.

Members of our crew assisted others putting tents up, they carried each other’s gigantic bags, they reassured their fellow crew members when they were feeling a bit homesick, I couldn’t possibly list every kind act I saw out on Outward Bound – there are too many great examples. They each showed a level of maturity that I wouldn’t expect of some adults, it reassured me that we were about to embark on a fantastic 5 years together.

We finished the week delivering a speech to over 100 other students and staff. We decided to propose a toast to our crew, this had become a bit of a tradition to keep hydrated on our expedition. This toast was to tackle the question, “what is crew?“. The general consensus was that ‘crew’ was not necessarily something that we could do justice in explaining, but that we all felt it, and had experienced it. Still, the toast that was proposed was beautiful, and as I watched my 12 crew members clink their empty plastic bottles, with beaming smiles, I can’t describe the sense of pride I felt in each of them, particularly those who had told me public speaking was a big deal for them.

So I guess I’d like to finish this blog post with a toast to Crew KHA; for a delightful 4 days during Outward Bound, and to the 12 bright sparks that I am lucky to call my fellow crew members. May their futures be bright – I am certain that they will be.

Cheers!