For this year's Gifted Musicians' Programme, 60 year 5 and 8 pupils from 12 Slough Schools are taking part in 4 days of song-writing workshops and rehearsals, with a performance at the West Wing Arts Centre on Thursday 8th March at 4pm. They are writing songs about the three Olympic values, with the help of the song-writing team from www.hatchmyideas.co.uk and International (and Olympic) composer/songwriter Thomas Hewitt Jones (www.thomashewittjones.com)
The pupils are from Beechwood, Holy Family Primary, Khalsa Primary, Lynch Hill Primary Academy, Our Lady of Peace Junior, Parlaunt Park Primary, Penn Wood Primary, Priory, Slough Grammar, St Anthony's Primary, St Joseph's High and Western House Schools.
The Olympic values were devised by Pierre de Coubertin, French historian and educator who revived the Olympic games of the Modern era.
'Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example, and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.'
Demonstrating Respect
Preserve Human Dignity, Fair play; knowing one’s own limits; and taking care of one’s health and the environment
“Preserve human dignity” is based on several fundamental principles: the respect of universal fundamental ethical principles, the preservation of human dignity and the practice of sport as a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
Striving for Excellence
Encouraging Effort; How to give the best of oneself in life; taking part; and progressing according to one’s own objectives
“Encourage effort” is derived from the Olympic motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” and the fundamental principle of Olympism, which states that “Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example”.
In this sense, “aim for excellence” means always doing and giving one’s best.
Celebrating Friendship
Develop harmony, How to understand each other despite any differences
“Develop harmony” implies the combination in a balanced whole of the qualities of body, will and mind. Sport must thus be at the service of the harmonious development of mankind.
The 4 additional values of the Paralympics are
Courage | Determination | Inspiration | Equality
The performance at the West Wing is only the start of the journey for this project. They will perform at the Tree of Light (www.thetreeoflight.org) Olympic Legacy Trust event at the end of June, and at other local Olympic related events in the summer term.