Green Journey

"How can we empower and engage Ashcroft students to participate as effective global citizens in their local community, through creative and inspirational learning activities?"

The Green Journey began in September last year when I started in my role as a Creative Agent for the UK Center for Carnival Arts in Luton. Ashcroft High School is one of three schools which I have been working with over the last year as an Agent and it's one of many hundreds of projects across the country which are part of the National 'Creative Partnerships' programme, now coming to an end due to funding cuts.

The Creative Partnerships programme has brought practitioners, students and teachers together to enquire, explore and learn collaboratively through creativity, whether it be illustrating maths problems through dance or exploring scientific theory through practical applications.

For each school the area of enquiry is different and dependant on the focus of the school development plan or the specific needs within the school. Creative Partnership projects have been used to improve boys writing, encourage more parental involvement, up skill teaching staff, raise awareness of cultural heritage, healthy eating and much more -these are just a few examples.

At Ashcroft there was already an initiative to achieve 'Fair Trade School' status, the school was embarking on a huge rebuilding project, so class room space was at a premium and there was also a drive to raise 'Global Awareness' and encourage 'Local responsibly.' 

After a couple of planning meetings with the very energetic deputy head, Julie Clarke, the Green Journey was begun. Five practitioners, mostly from Festive Road, were brought on board and the idea of converting a double decker bus into a 'Green Classroom' was born!

An old Leyland bus was purchased on ebay and delivered to the school. The Young people reacted suitably with: " It's got to be blingin' Miss, not mingin'..."

The musician, Simon Oldhams, worked with the science faculty developing prototypes for wind turbines and testing how much cycle power it takes to illuminate different types of light bulbs. 
 
Offsed were in school at one point and observed the complete duration of one of these creative science lessons with great interest. The staff have since begun to rethink the GCSE coursework and how more 'practical science' could be included.


Meanwhile Sarah O' Toole and Paul Smith worked with the Art department to create a bike powered entry in the Luton International Carnival. They ran after school clubs and sessions in school, introducing some new textile techniques and creative uses for recycled materials. This was the first time many of the young people had participated in their local Carnival and the school took away the prize for 'Best New comer'. 

Paul Smith also led a 'Recycled Green House' building project at a neighbouring Special Needs School, which groups of students from Ashcroft helped with. Zena Ellis, a local Luton artist, also worked with the Humanities faculty and with other students designing and painting the interior and exterior of the bus.


 
And Journalist, Sally Ann Keiser created short films with year 7 about litter and also worked with year 12. The films were premiered in the cycle powered cinema on the Green Bus.



After months of work; designing, prototyping, gutting, stripping, refurbishing and editing, the wind turbine was fitted, the blackout blinds went up and the artificial grass was laid for the unveiling of the bus.  





 
As the head teacher cut the ribbon and stepped back there was a stampede!  But opening the bus for business is only the beginning of the 'Green Journey' for the staff and students. 

I chatted to staff, governors, students and practitioners at the opening, about the project, I wanted to find out how the project was going to continue, who would take ownership? 


The Young people were keen to use the bus as a lunch time lounge area, whilst the staff could see the potential for it to have many other uses; staff meetings, class project space, fair Trade learning area, a lunch time science club and film viewing area. They talked about installing solar panels and bean bags...it will be interesting to revisit our Green Bus in a year's time. 

The main feed back I got from everyone was that the project had been successful because it had been a 'real world' project, helping students to make connections between the curriculum and possible career paths, through practical and creative activity, led by professional role models. 

What a shame that there wont be any more Creative Partnerships after this year -just when we need it most.