LOCHGELLY High School pupils proudly presented their hard work within a range of various initiatives to members of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee before the end of term. The initiatives are all aimed at supporting the development of skills for learning, life and work in addition to contributing to the ongoing work towards supporting the health and wellbeing of all within the school community.

Former S6 pupil, Martin Fraser, presented the school’s entry into the Young Enterprise Award. This initiative equips learners with entrepreneurial and enterprise skills. It promotes ‘learning by doing’ activities.

The team of nine upcycled slate roofing tiles to create laser etched coasters, cheeseboards and serving platters. This proved so successful that at a trade fair in Kirkcaldy they sold all their stock in an hour.

Each team member was assigned a role dependent on their strengths and all are now seeing the benefits the project has given them.

The venture saw them win the Fife Regional Finals and progress through to the all Scotland Final Competition in Glasgow, one of 16 out of the 250 teams across Scotland.

Next up to present were the STEAM team. Five young ladies from the team who adopted a scientist role and had been looking at Carbon Capture and Storage. Their endeavours earned them a Bronze Crest Award. The team split into chemists, geologists, transport managers and managers, to carry out experiments before bringing their findings back to the team.

Five of the team have been selected to attend an anniversary event in Strathclyde University where they will take part in further experiments.

Finally, as it was Rainbow Day in the school, members were given a presentation from the LGBT and Equality team who have begun work on developing a more tolerant ethos across the school with regards to the understanding of diversity. The team are aiming to secure the school a Silver Charter Mark from LGBT Scotland.

The group of S4 and S5 pupils are providing a safe place to meet and talk within the school for LGBT young people. They reinforced that integration and being included is key to generating a healthy school environment. They have been working with youth workers who are helping to expand the message outwith the school.

Depute Rector, Sarah Wozniak, said: “We’re very proud of the hard work that has gone into these initiatives.

"We’ll continue to build on what’s been achieved this year. Many of the successful participants have since left school but have agreed to return to pass on their experience to the next group of learners who are ready to take up the challenge.”