A group of our students recently travelled to New York City on a Business and Media Studies trip ; two students were so inspired by what they saw they are now hoping to study in America!
The party of 25 from Years 10 to 13 spent half term in the Big Apple where two of the students Kim Bridgman and Chris Rand celebrated their 16th birthdays Stateside.
As well as meeting Mark Levy, a Civil Rights Campaign veteran, they got to experience what will be the next advancement in digital technology – HoloLens, a 3D holographic computer allowing the user to interact with holograms.
Former student Georgina Lloyd, who is studying at Quinnipaic University in Connecticut, met up with the group.
Ex-student Matthew Lester, who teaches English in China, was in the city visiting relatives. He also met the group and caught up with his half-sister Lydia Matthews, who was on the trip.
Head of IT and Computing Miss Hewitt said: “In my 17 years as a teacher, this was the best thing I have ever done.
“I have been to New York eight times, but this was by far the most exciting and most action packed. It was just fabulous seeing the students learning and seeing their eyes opened up to a life beyond the Rossendale Valley.”
Hannah Lord, 18, is now looking to study business in America. She most enjoyed the trip on the Hudson River to Ellis Island and learning about American history.
Antony Crosbie, 15, had visited the city with his family the previous year, but said the school trip was twice as good.
He said: “I want to study immunology and would like to go to New York University. I have looked into it and they offer more courses over there that I want to do.”
The GCSE drama student said he liked the behind the scenes tour of Radio City. “It made the theatre at school seem so small,” he said.
For Oliver Gardner, 15, the best part was getting out into Battery Park and learning how to use professional cameras after a workshop with the New York Film Academy.
The party also visited the 9/11 Memorial and museum, which had the most impact on Charlie Farrow, 15.
He said: “It was quite emotional because we were standing on the very site where the buildings had been. I will never forget going there.”
They also visited the Empire State Building at night and the views from the 85th floor made them realise why New York is known as the ‘city that never sleeps’.