Minerva Learning Trust
12th December 2017

What an Elf-tastic Day!

Chief Elf Diskin

I think it's fair to say that Elf Day at High Storrs was an incredible success! We raised a fantastic £341.06 for the Alzheimer's Society and students and staff alike found out so much about this cruel disease. Mrs Hetherington and the PSHCEE team lead some really engaging lessons with students of all ages; the focus being on "Patience, tolerance and Understanding"

Some special thank yous to:

  • All of form LY 04 and particular thanks to Rosie Lucas, Ruby Osborn, Roisin McMillian and Izzy Johnson for taking the candy cane jar around forms during roll calls.
  • Sophia Marquess, Jade Ma Sang, Ruby Osborn , Issey and Ruby Harrison, Holly Perkins for baking some elf-tastic buns. Special thanks also to Ms Baker, Ms Stephens , Ms Shaw, Ms Mulrennan and food tech students.
  • Mrs Merritt and Ms Helm for all your help promoting, advertising and taking pictures of the event.
  • Santa Claus for hosting the elf disco and Mr Hanlon for technical help and disco lights.
  • Other students who helped with bucket collections and the bake sale - Mille Glossop, Sara Reza, Holly Perkins, Jade Ma Sang, Rosie Prescott and Laura Stroud.
  • The wonderful High Storrs staff who dug deep and dressed as elves. All staff who danced and helped at the elf disco. Mrs Dobson, Mr Jeffrey, Mrs Osborne and Miss Richards who danced and definitely released their inner elf out to play!
  • The PE team for helping bring some elf activities to PE lessons. Elf pursuit - students chose some interesting elf themed team names (Diskelves was a particular favourite ).
  • PSHCEE team who delivered some fantastic education based lessons on Alzheimer’s and dementia and raise its awareness.

Some of my personal highlights include the students and staff who dressed as elf’s and sang along to 'Let It Go' at the Elf Disco and hearing the students  sharing their own stories of family members who suffer with Alzheimer’s/dementia, asking questions and showing a range of emotions.

And my favourite quote of the day "Miss, your ears look on point" - hoping, of course, that they were in fact referring to the Elf ears on my hat!

The whole day was amazing and it was incredible to see so many staff and students supporting a cause that is obviously very close to my heart. The sight of so many High Storrs Elves on the corridors and in classrooms certainly brightened up a cold Friday! 

I'm so proud of another fantastic fundraising effort by staff and students. It has been a project full of lots of conflicting emotions, but 'Proud' is the word that sums it all up. I'm proud to bring such a fantastic event to High Storrs, raising money for a wonderful charity. I'm proud to be a teacher at High Storrs, working with such fantastic students and staff who have supported this event with generosity, fun, compassion and togetherness.

But now it's time for Chief Elf Diskin to hang up her point shoes and hat and get back to the day job, head back to the classroom and playing fields and (perhaps) begin planning for next year!

The only thing left to say is 'Congratulations' to Joni Rees who correctly guessed the number of candy canes in the jar, and now has 136 candy canes to see her through Christmas!