Vatican Astronomer visits Kilgraston
NE of the Vatican’s top astronomers has debunked the myth that science and religion are incompatible or competing ideologies.
Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, curator of the Vatican’s meteorite collection, spoke of the “irony of the so-called war between science and religion”, arguing: “Science itself is actually borne out of religion.”
Using the opening words of the Creed and several examples from the Bible, he explained: “It is very natural that those who believe in Genesis – the Jews and the Christians and the Muslims – should also support science as a way of getting to know God.”
His comments came during a two-day visit to Kilgraston School this week to mark the opening of a new £1 million science centre. The American research astronomer was taking part in a series of public lectures at the award-winning Catholic girls school to help encourage more young women into science.
In an address entitled Science, Spirituality and the Stars, Brother Guy, a Planetary Scientist at the Vatican Observatory since 1993, explained how for most of history scientists had been men who worked within the Church.
“Until the middle of the 19th century and the rise of the state universities, many scientists were in fact clergymen,” he revealed. “Who else had the education and the free time to go out collecting and classifying leaves and bugs and all the other day-to-day data-gathering things that form the backbone of science?
“It’s not that what we knew before is false, that ‘everything you know is wrong’ and that we’re finally so much smarter than we were in the middle ages, or in the 19th century, or ten years ago,” he explained. “What these advances tell us is that everything we thought we knew then, is still true, but in a different way than we understood it before.”
He also spoke of how modern science presents both “new” and “familiar” challenges to our understanding of God as the creator of heaven and earth within a huge and complex universe.
“The reality of other worlds has been understood, intellectually, since the enlightenment,” he said. “Indeed, we’ve had stories speculating about life on other planets since Roman times. In the 1920s, the development of the airplane and radio made it feel reasonable that one could possibly travel to such places.”
He explained that 906 out of 3,500 possible new planets had now been confirmed, stating that these discoveries pointed to “the ever increasing possibility of extra-terrestrial intelligence”.
Prep School announces new sports and house games captains
The Prep School has identified new sports and house games captains for this academic year.
The girls, all in Lower 4th, were chosen by their teachers for commitment to their relevant sport and prominence within school teams.
The youngsters were also praised for their “leadership qualities” and ability to be “fair and open”.
The captains will work closely with Mrs Libby Rodger, helping her to organise teams as well as offering encouragement to their peers.
Mrs Rodger commented: “This experience will help the girls develop leadership and good citizenship skills.”
The PE teacher said five girls had been made captains of the following sports:
- Emilia Thompson (hockey and tennis)
- Lucy Smith (netball and rounders)
- Hannah Boyd (swimming)
- Eliza Checkley Mills (athletics)
- Daisy Cross (riding)
They will be helped by a group of Vice-Captains: Heather Halley (hockey and riding), Eliza Checkley Mills (netball), Isla Leslie (tennis) and Minty Gow (athletics). Vice-Captains for swimming and rounders have yet to be confirmed.
House Games Captains were announced as follows:
- Eliza Checkley Mills (Ptarmigan)
- Lucy Smith (Capercaillie)
- Emilia Thompson (Osprey)
Head of the Prep School, Kathryn Ebrahim, said: “The theme of team leadership is very important to us here at Kilgraston. We believe our young positive leaders can support and inspire all our Prep pupils.”
Praising the newly elected captains, Mrs Ebrahim also pointed to the achievements of Head Girl, Daisy Cross and deputes, Minty Gow and Louise McQueen who were all elected last term. She said the trio is ably assisted by Head of Houses – Isla Leslie (Osprey), Heather Halley (Ptarmigan) and Megan Dawson (Capercaillie).
Prep Robot Wars
Kilgraston girls in Lower Third have taken part in an all-day robotics masterclass led by experts from the computer giant IBM.
Working in small teams with a dedicated leader, the girls were introduced to the hi-tech world of robots and given sight of what a future career in engineering might involve.
Prep school teacher, Susie Lockett, said: “The girls worked in teams to build their robots before learning a new piece of computer software in order to programme the robots.
“They were obviously engaged with the activities and worked with enthusiasm throughout the day.
“The series of increasingly difficult challenges allowed the girls to take their learning forward step by step.
“The culmination of the day was a ‘robot war’ with the last robot standing as the winner. This was an amusing end to a fantastic day.”
The masterclass led by IBM’s Grant Wooler and his team follows the opening of a new £1 million state-of-the-art science centre at the school.
The new facility which opened earlier this month, has also hosted its first lecture for the public. Teachers, pupils and visitors heard a thought provoking talk on the ‘Circular Economy’ by Colin Webster of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
The charity believes science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are crucial subjects in helping young people to understand their place within a bigger, interconnected world.
Unveiling the Foundation’s latest research, Mr Webster called on his audience to grow the economy on a finite planet by regenerating and reusing materials and energy.
Using mobile phones as an example, the leading researcher said modern society was wasteful, explaining that although 95 per cent of devices could be recycled, just nine per cent are currently reprocessed.
The talk was the first in a series of lectures and events to mark the academic year 2013-14, which has been dedicated to the theme of ‘Society and Society’.
Elite swimming coach offers performance training at Kilgraston
Ann Dickson, head coach at Perth City Swim Club, has joined the team at Kilgraston School to lead specially tailored performance sessions for those keen to improve and compete at the sport.
Ann, who is currently training Perth’s Commonwealth Games freestyle hopeful, Stephen Milne, said: “Any success is all about the swimmers making a commitment to training. Anyone can swim if they’re prepared to commit to it.
“In any sport the most important dynamic is the relationship between the coach and the pupil. The challenge as a coach is to be able to work individually with people who are also part of a squad. It’s about empowering them to reach their goals. “You have to be able to motivate them and at times push them to a level they don’t think they can achieve.”
As a youngster, Ann swam at both district and national level. She recalled being invited to join a club, aged 11, on the back of a memorable win at a school gala.
“Swim training is an excellent life skill,” she said. “It helps you to be organised and disciplined. For example, I’ve had a lot of successful swimmers who’ve gone on to have very good careers in areas like medicine.”
Outlining her blueprint for the future of swimming at Kilgraston, Ann explained: “I hope the girls who come to my sessions will improve their technique and build up their fitness.
When they swim for the school in competitions, they will swim faster if they’ve trained hard.
“Progression in swimming is about being in the pool consistently. My training is open to anyone and can be made as hard or easy as required.
“Swimming is my specialist sport but I love all sport. Here at Kilgraston the girls have the opportunity to compete with regular fixtures. The facilities are wonderful and the extra curricular programme is a big thing.”
Kilgraston’s Director of sport, Pauline Stott, said: “At Kilgraston we are constantly striving to enhance our sports provision and we are delighted and privileged to have Ann Dickson coaching our swimmers.
“Her expertise and passion for the sport is wonderful and we are confident with Ann’s guidance our swimming will grow in strength and depth.
“With our state-of-the-art 25 metre pool it allows the girls to develop their technical and physical skills which is excellent to see.”
Kilgraston hosts junior tennis tournament
BUDDING tennis players inspired by Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory are to get the chance to put their skills to the test in a new junior tournament to be held next month.
The North of Scotland Autumn Open is being served up at Kilgraston School from October 14th to 18th and will involve hundreds of tennis-loving youngsters from across the region and beyond.
In a unique venture, Adam Brown, an award-winning coach based in Stirling, has teamed up with staff at the Bridge of Earn girls’ school to put on the five-day competition during half term.
The 31-year-old had been on the verge of cancelling the county level event after struggling to find a suitable venue for the tournament expected to attract up to 160 players.
Hearing of Adam’s plight, Principal Frank Thompson decided to offer use of the school’s eight astroturf courts for the week.
Adam explained: “There’s a real buzz about tennis in Scotland following Andy Murray’s success. Kilgraston is a wonderful, central location and already familiar to many of our players who compete in the Scottish inter-district championships held at the school every April. The school is within easy reach of Glasgow and Edinburgh and we also have a coach coming down from Inverness with a team of ten to 15 players.
“If the school had not stepped in to host the tournament there wouldn’t have been any competition for youngsters in Scotland this half term. It would have been a real shame as they’d been working hard in training during term-time with school holidays being the ideal time to compete and see they how they compare with the best players in their age group.”
As a former junior county champion for Cumbria, Adam is leading by example. He has represented his home county at senior level for the past sixteen years and has been captain of the men’s side for the last six.
He has worked with top juniors in both Scotland and New Zealand and currently runs district and regional performance squads at the Gannochy National Tennis Centre in Stirling which involve many of Perthshire’s best players.
In 2009 he was made Scottish tennis coach of the year and was also given the Tennis Scotland participation award for organising the country’s most successful tennis event of the year.
Kilgraston Principal Frank Thompson said: “We’re really looking forward to hosting the North of Scotland Autumn Open here at Kilgraston. Adam brings a wealth of experience and talent to this new joint venture. It’s a pleasure to work with him and help to provide more opportunities for competition locally and to encourage youngsters to emulate Andy Murray’s phenomenal achievements.”
Entries for fifteen events, spanning seven age groups from 8 and upwards including singles and doubles, are now open.
Up to 300 matches will be contested throughout the week the giving juniors of all ages the chance to play at a high level locally without having to leave Scotland in search of competition.
Ian Conway, President of Tennis Scotland will present prizes to winning players on Wednesday 16th October and Friday 18th October.
- To enter the North of Scotland Autumn Open visitwww.lta.org.uk or email [email protected]
Paralympian Karen Darke Inspires Kilgraston Sixth Formers
A BRITISH Paralympic cyclist has urged a group of sixth formers to turn their seemingly impossible dreams into reality.
Karen Darke, who won a silver medal in the Women’s road time trial at the 2012 London Paralympics, told Kilgraston’s senior girls: “Not being able to move or feel anything below my chest level has of course been a challenge, but I’ve come to learn that nothing is impossible if we set our mind and our efforts to it.”
The 42-year-old’s comments came during a recent talk to sixth form girls at Kilgraston. Karen was paralysed from the chest down following a climbing accident, aged 21, whilst sea cliff climbing.
Speaking about the ordeal and how she managed to overcome its inevitable trials and tribulations, she recalled: “Just the night before my accident, I said I would rather die than be paralysed, but little did I know what lay ahead. “Instead I found fortune in my misfortune, inspiration from people in similar and more challenging situations all around me, and began pursuing alternative ways to access the outdoors.”
Karen added that she was lucky to have “an adventurous gene, as life in a wheelchair is full of unexpected adventure”.
Ruth Brown, a pupil in Lower 6th, described the talk as “inspirational.” She said: “Karen shared the truly remarkable story about her journey from one of the darkest points in her life to achieving her goal. She told us that we should dream big even if we think something seems impossible. “Karen spent years working persistently and with lots of motivation from family and friends to get her to where she is today.”
Another sixth former, Costanza Improta, added: “Karen is a person to be admired. She’s an example to everybody. She didn’t give up when many others would have done.
“She’s a living example that only we can set our limits and there’s no point in saying: ‘I can’t do it’. If you want it, you can do it.”
Girls selected for Midlands Hockey teams
This week the Midland Hockey teams were selected for the Scottish Inter District tournament being held at the end of the month at the new home of Scottish Hockey in Glasgow.
Katie Robertson and Robyn Johnson were selected for Under 18’s and Katie Stott and Emily Dark were selected for the Under 16’s – a fantastic representation from Kilgraston.
Well done to all the girls and good luck at the tournament!
Girls encouraged to aim high by Oxbridge expert
A group of sixth formers were urged to set their sights on the UK’s top universities during a special Oxbridge presentation evening at Kilgraston this week.
The girls from Lower and Upper Sixth (S5 and S6) heard an engaging talk from Luke Chapman of the undergraduate admissions office at Oxford University.
Mr Chapman provided practical advice on the application and admissions process and was particularly keen to dispel any myths about attending leading universities south of the border.
Kilgraston’s Head of Sixth Form, Elaine Prentice, said the evening offered students aspiring to Oxbridge “first hand information at a crucial time”.
She commented: “Luke also explained that it’s no more expensive to study at Oxford than at any other university in England. Accommodation is subsidised which helps fund living costs. There’s great potential for reducing costs in other ways with generous grants and scholarships available.”
Leading by example is Kilgraston’s Flossie Taylor who will next month take up her place at St Hilda’s College, Oxford to read Chinese. The Shetland islander, a boarder at Kilgraston, achieved top results in Latin, RMPS and English in her Advanced Highers last month.
Inaugural Scholars' Tea
This year’s 2013/14 scholars were hailed as “role models” during a special celebration at the beginning of the academic year.
The group of 11 girls from both the Prep and Senior School were joined by their families for the first ever scholars’ tea.
Principal Frank Thompson praised the girls for having shown “courage” and “commitment” in applying for scholarships.
He said: “It’s not always easy to put yourself forward. To do so sometimes means risking failure. Your achievements show you have outstanding ability and are at the very top of your age group.
“My hope is that you will be role models for others. It’s not about showing you’re more able than the next person but showing the importance of commitment to your particular area. That will be seen in how hard you work, train and practise to achieve your goals.
“Most of all, I would urge you to be humble in everything you do. Take pleasure not only in your own achievements but also in the achievements of others. Always be the first to praise others when they do well.”
New scholars for the academic year 2013-14 include eight girls from the Prep school:
- Michaela McCarthy, Upper 3rd (Academic)
- Alice Wilson, Upper 3rd (Academic)
- Daisy Cross, Lower 4th (Academic)
- Hannah Boyd, Lower 4th (Academic)
- Emilia Thompson, Lower 4th (Honorary Academic, Music & Sport)
- Isla Robertson, Lower 4th (Music)
The following five girls from the Senior school were also awarded scholarships:
- Zoe Niven, Upper 4th (Music)
- Jade Courtney, Lower 5th (Sport)
- Victoria Yeung, Upper 5th, (Music)
- Kirsty MacLeod, Lower 6th (Music)
- Louisa Thomson, Upper 6th (Academic & Riding)
Scholarship Day 2014 will be held on Saturday, February 1st. For more information on the application process, please email [email protected]
Prizes and Ribbons…
Chairman of Board of Governors: “the constants that make up this school are strong”
At Kilgraston’s annual Prize-Giving and Speech Day on Saturday June 29, The Principal highlighted the value of perseverance, telling guests, Governors, parents and pupils that success comes from devoting 10,000 hours of practice in order to perfect a skill.
In his end-of-year speech at the Bridge of Earn all-girls school, Frank Thompson referred to research that 10,000 hours of appropriately-guided practice - in academic study, music, sport and many other settings - is the magic number of greatness, and with that level of commitment, anyone can achieve superior levels of proficiency.
In short, the research confirms the old adage that “practice makes perfect”.
Reflecting on his first year as Principal of the award-winning Perthshire school, Mr Thompson said: “This is a community where commitment and excellence matter.
“To be truly excellent requires persistent effort. 10,000 hours is ten years of hard work and, in the real world, that long experience matters. What you must do at Kilgraston is prepare. Every day, in every lesson - be it French, Business, English, Maths, Games or any other lesson - it is an hour ticked off the 10,000 hours which prepare you for life. Each block of time, so small in itself, but without the small blocks, the 10,000 cannot be attained. Each hour must be spent wisely and not wasted.”
He added: “I think the message of perseverance is particularly exemplified in Art. The worry, as a fourth former, is to look at the amazing achievements of a sixth form artist and think - I could never do that. But be inspired, not intimidated - if the sixth formers can paint as they do, then so will you, if you set your heart on it.”
He also praised sporting success at Kilgraston. “We are rightly proud of our successes, whether it be the upper Fourth winning the Scottish Cup Silver Final in Netball, our intermediate and senior riders winning the Scottish Schools Equestrian Championships at Gleneagles or the individual honours of Katie Robertson and Katie Stott in their selection for Scotland in Hockey or Rebecca Norval’s European gold medal-winning success in equine vaulting.”
Chairman of the Board of Governors Tim Hall stressed the importance of “community” at Kilgraston. “I know the work done with the Abernethy Trust, the inter-faith activities, have made this school approach life in an ecumenical and inclusive way, in its broadest sense. I know Stacey Cameron, as Chaplain, has made links with ministers from both Church of Scotland and Episcopalian churches; they have gone on to give assemblies in both the Senior and Prep schools.
“And “Community” can just be about getting out and about and sharing talents - as I witnessed at Oakley Parish Church in West Fife where twenty-four Kilgraston girls entertained a local ex-coalmining community under the guidance of Head of Music Andrew McGarva; their Les Miserables medley left strong men weeping, me included!”
And he insisted: “The constants that make up this school are strong, its pedigree fashioned out of the Sacred Heart goals, its strength of purpose in the whole education of every girl who comes here, and the unabashed striving to do well, whether academically, in music, art and theatre, or in sports.”
In closing, Mr Thompson had a message for the Upper Sixth girls who left this weekend. “We have launched you into adult life and you are ready for independence. You have been role models this year and you can still be. What you achieve at University and in your careers, share with us. We want to tell the years behind you what it is like and give them the confidence and inspiration to fly the nest too without fear but with joy and hope.”