It’s been a wonderful, busy week at New Bridge but very tiring at the same time!
Just to keep everybody up to date, Kyle is continuing to make progress and we send our best wishes to him. The school is definitely quieter without hearing his ‘Glory, glory Man United’ along the corridors (although it hurts me to say it.)
On Monday Activ8 Key Stage 5 were planning more on the big rugby match, arranging dates and times and maybe special guests!!! On Wednesday we took a trip down to the power league Soccer Dome in Trafford for the One City disability football league. We had mixed results as I joined the B team to help our team out and boost their chances for the season. I must say it was great to see Hollinwood Academy join our teams and unite as a group and play for the New Bridge Group. The B team made great progress that day and also a big shout out for Alan, our next John Stones of New Bridge! Overall everyone enjoyed the day and I must say the Bs are another Leicester in the making!
Our Year 11 students all received the letters last week that they’ve been waiting for about our residential for Haven which I’m positively looking forward to, a nice week down in Hafan y Mor!
In Activ8 we work towards our Sports Leaders awards by helping out with young students, hosting activities for the school and most of all being positive role models and amazing sports leaders. We were shown a motivational good leadership video in Friday’s leaders lesson which has really shown me a lot of aspects……..which brings me on to my final subject.
As many of you aware by now, in December I was awarded the greatest role in the school that every boy dreams of, becoming Head Boy of the school. Now, other people may think it’s just a popularity contest and shaking people’s hands every time they walk through the doors but that isn’t the case. I feel the most important part of my role is speaking out for the students and taking their best interests into account. A lot of people know me to have a big ego and feel great at everything but the one thing I see the most is just because one person might have a higher ability than another, don’t they all deserve to be treated the same as any other person on this planet? I’ve been out with my fellow friends to many sports events representing New Bridge and the one thing you hear occasionally is “phhh, special needs, we’ll beat them easily” but that’s not the case.
Just because people have a learning difficulty doesn’t mean they can’t do what every other human being can do. You see people with less confidence who can’t speak for themselves, what about giving those people a voice, showing they have undiscovered talents and specialities that others don’t have. Before I went to New Bridge I attented two primary schools and I was failed by both of them, that’s because there was less knowledge of autism and being targeted for being different. For 12 years I’ve been attending a group in Tameside which was run by my mum. The group came up with the idea to create a video for professionals to see the effects of being bullied for having autism. I joined New Bridge in 2012 and it was the first time I met staff who understood my social and behaviour difficulties and New Bridge has been a big part of my life since. The older I got, I started to realise people get split for being different. One student approached me in my leaders session once and said they were getting bullied and when I asked why, he replied because he goes to New Bridge.
Having autism, aspergers, cerebal palsy, down’s syndrome or anything else, that never matters, they’re equal people, they can achieve anything in life like everybody else does, talent rises in everyone. Whether you’re able or not or you have special needs, with a little support and motivation you can achieve anything. I speak out for the entire New Bridge Group, “WE ARE NEW BRIDGE AND WE ARE PROUD OF WHERE WE COME FROM!” I always want to give a voice for these wonderful people even though sometimes it may not be the right thing to say but it’s for everyone’s benefit. I don’t portray myself as any Barack Obama or Donald Trump but the one thing I love doing is giving those a voice who deserve it. I never criticise New Bridge because undoubtedly it’s the best school in the United Kingdom, it offers support and gives fantastic opportunities that last a lifetime. Every week I write these blogs not for competition, it’s to give a insight of what we’re about. People have left New Bridge, going on to mainstream colleges and making more success and made fantastic progress throughout. So as I said at the beginning, Head Boy ain’t a popularity contest, it’s giving a voice to the students even though it might not be the right thing to say sometimes, it’s always for the benefit of the pupils.
Have a fantastic week!
Jack
