Shine news

You may be feeling inspired to get your students involved with Shine, but wonder how relevant your demographic of pupils is to this sort of competition.

The good news is that all demographics fit the brief: in this post we look at the categories that can be entered – and you only need to enter one to have a chance of winning an award.

Now you are starting to get your students organised to produce a team project for 2023, we thought we’d share a testimonial from Alex Mortimer, who was Shine scholar in 2021, winning The Terry Mansfield Award for Tomorrow’s Talent.

It will take only a few minutes of your time, but I guarantee it will inspire you.

‘Do it right, it runs itself’ is the motto of Alan Williams, formerly of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, whose student publication has won several accolades under his overseeing eye.

He gives this advice on how to start up a student project:

I’m not the kind of person who tells other professionals what they should do. Instead, I will give an account of the things that I did in my ten years of running a Publications Committee. First off is to have a vision of the direction you want to go. Are you a political/opinion-based Publication or are you reflecting the things going on in your school community?

Now is the time to talk to your students about beginning a team project that will enhance their enjoyment of school and learning and give them great life skills!

Whether it’s recording a podcast, editing, designing, or writing a feature, working as a team on a publication is a meaningful and useful learning experience, and it is also great fun for all involved. All ages can get involved and it is a great vehicle for connecting different age groups in the school.

A magazine, newspaper or podcast is ultimately all-inclusive and offers a platform for diverse groups to communicate with their immediate and wider worlds.

We’re launching Shine 2023 with encouragement from our Chair, Alison, who says;

If your school does not yet offer its students a platform for self-expression then we strongly recommend that you start one this year!

Having the skill to communicate effectively is essential for all young people, whatever future career they may end up in.

A publication offers the opportunity to learn teamwork, to work to deadlines, to think about how to get a message across, and to express concerns or interests that are outside of curriculum restraints.

At the Shine Awards 2021, the recipient of the Terry Mansfield MBE Award for Tomorrow’s Talent was Alex Mortimer from Ibstock Place School, who won for her magazine ‘Young Minds’ which focussed on mental health.

This year, we invited Alex to return and address the ceremony and give out this year’s award.

Alex’s speech was inspiring and moving in equal measure. Read what she said…