A graduation ceremony with a difference takes place at St German’s Cathedral in Peel in May.
All those wearing gowns and mortarboards and proudly celebrating their achievements will be aged five to 14.
The children invited to attend are the second cohort to graduate from the Children’s University, which was launched in the Isle of Man two years ago.
On Wednesday 7 May, in front of an audience that includes Tim Crookall MHK, Minister for Education and Children, they will celebrate clocking up hundreds of hours of Children’s University learning.
Children’s University rewards young people’s participation in activities that take place outside the school day. Children purchase passports and gain stamps by visiting validated ‘public learning destinations’. Certificates charting their progress are awarded at graduation ceremonies.
Children also gain stamps by attending their own schools’ lunchtime and after-school activities, provided their school is a Children’s University partner.
Membership of Children’s University gives passport-holders access to accredited learning destinations and events across the UK and beyond.
Carys Lloyd, manager of Children’s University in the Island, said there were more than 600 passports in circulation since the university was launched locally and there are now more than 50 learning partners, offering, between them, hundreds of exciting destinations and activities.
Carys said;
‘I am really looking forward to seeing some of our 2013 graduates again, as they have clocked up even more hours’ learning, and I can’t wait to see some new faces graduating for the first time this year.
‘This year we have graduates who have clocked up more than 500 hours’ learning outside of the normal school day.’
Attending the graduation will be Ger Graus, the Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s University Trust, local trustees Professor Ronald Barr and John Gill and Isle of Man Children’s University Chancellor, Dr Jeremy Paul, a renowned artist.
Sponsors who have kindly supported Children’s University in the Island will also attend. They include Intelligence (Webtech), which set up and hosts the website http://www.iomcu.im/ and which is designing a new-look site for launch after the ceremony. Also there will be Scottish Widows, which was one of the first companies to pledge its support for the programme in 2013, sponsored the children’s caps and gowns and will be providing volunteer colleagues at the graduation ceremony; Shoprite, which has donated towards the cost of refreshments, and FancieThat, which is helping to decorate the hall for the reception that follows the formalities.
Carys would be pleased to discuss sponsorship opportunities with more would-be sponsors.
Carys thanked representatives of Intelligence (Webtech) and Scottish Widows, who have attended steering group meetings all year. In addition, she thanked those Scottish Widow volunteers, teachers and other staff, who will be helping out on graduation day.
She said:
‘We are always on the look out for new learning destinations and we are hoping to include some exciting CU events as part of Island of Culture 2014, so watch out for announcements on our website and on Facebook and Twitter.’
For more information on Children’s University and to see which schools are taking part, visit the website, the Facebook pageIsle of Man Children’s Universityor the Twitter feed @IOMCU.
Alternatively, contact Carys on 686088 or email enquire@iomcu.im. For details of learning destinations further afield, visit www.childrensuniversity.co.uk
