Hautlieu School wins UK National Digital Challenge
Joint initiative with Creative Jersey results in winning formula for local students.
Hautlieu School has been chosen as joint winners of this year’s British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) Schools Digital Challenge.
In a project initiated with local industry body Creative Jersey, students entered the BIMA challenge earlier this year, which asked teams of students to come up with a Digital solution (which might take the shape of a website, interactive game or video) that provides a practical benefit for their community and with the key objective to encourage them to combine creativity and technology with real social benefits.
Hautlieu School submitted a proposal to produce a new digital archive of downloadable podcasts of the years of the German occupation of Jersey, as a stand-alone website linked to the Jersey Museum and as a video wall in the War tunnels museum.
The archive, created by a team of year 12 and 13 Media Studies, Photography, ICT, Music, Art, History and English Language students would be a first for Jersey, in that it would be available to the whole community to access. It would also break new ground in its aim to place a positive, historical interpretation of the ways in which the Occupation changed the character of Jersey, instead of repeating well-known stories of hardship and betrayal.
Education Liaison Officer for Creative Jersey, Gary Grimshaw, said:
“This award is a true demonstration of the creative talent which exists in the Island. The students grasped this challenge with creativity, enthusiasm and commitment and their success is a testament to their hard work.
“We are delighted that they are also going to be attending our industry Showcase event today ‘Creative Juice’, being held at the Royal Yacht Hotel between 3.00 and 6.00pm where they will be able to show to local industry representatives the strength of their achievement.”
Lesley Toms, Head Teacher, Hautlieu School, Jersey, commented:
“I am delighted that Hautlieu students have been so successful in the recent BIMA competition. We are extremely grateful to Creative Jersey for all their help and support over the past months in assisting our students and of course to Jersey War Tunnels and the many individual Jersey residents who kindly gave up their time to be interviewed about their experiences during the Occupation.
“Our students learnt so much from the work that was undertaken during this project and we are delighted that this opportunity provided them with a wealth of experience for their future careers.”
Paul Simmonds, Chief Executive, Jersey War Tunnels, added:
“We are delighted for the team at Hautlieu; it is a fitting reward for their hard work and dedication on this project. As the years erode our memories of the past it is imperative that the Occupation period is studied in such detail in order for present and future generations to gain a greater empathy for the Islanders and forced workers who were made to endure such terrible hardship.”
Mirage Islam, Chair of Education and Innovation Group at BIMA, concluded:
" BIMA are fully committed to not only inspiring future talent but also creating opportunities both commercially and for education purposes. This particular challenge has created just that with social benefits.
“BIMA would like to thank, Microsoft, Sky and Contagious Magazine for their support and prizes and looking ahead 2009/2010 will allow for a much bigger Digital Challenge and we have already set up partnerships with the British Council, NESTA and the RSA along.
“Our aim is to build on the success of this initiative and ensure creativity and innovation is at the heart of our activities."