School Craft Competition 2011

Amy Connelly with her winning design

Not satisfied with just one major win in the Trades House of Glasgow School Craft Competition, Amy Connelly of Smithycroft Secondary walked away with two, which pretty much sums up the skills being displayed by this young 5th year pupil.

Amy took the overall prize for her metal weather vane, designed as part of her practical craft course in metalwork, as well as a top prize for culinary excellence. She chose the Glasgow Coat of Arms using Copper for its resistance to corrosion and availability.

Amy was among more than 60 pupils from secondary schools across Glasgow who had their craftsmanship rewarded by the Trades House, in recognition of the exceptional craft work they have produced as part of their curricular studies. Categories included metalwork, woodwork, plastic, portfolio work and the culinary

excellence programme.

“Amy has been around the department all her school life but in her 4th year at school her talents really began to show,” said metalwork teacher Danny Thomson. “She is a tireless worker who strives to achieve the very best. During class time, her understanding of the work was reflected by her ability to assist, inform and explain the task to her peers. She was also used within the department as a buddy to motivate and monitor some of her fellow students with their course work.”

In the true spirit of inter disciplinary work, Amy has used her weather vane project to support and develop her higher art design folio work this year, completed as a one year crash course, another reflection on her attitude to work.

Commenting on Amy’s culinary excellence win, Home Economics teacher Jane Anderson said: “Included in our Practical Cookery course are ten-weeks in a leading Glasgow hotel. This year we were linked with the five-star Blythswood Square Hotel. Amy, who had not cooked since S2, excelled both in the kitchen

and front of house, so much so she was offered weekend work and then an apprenticeship on leaving school. She impressed everyone with her enthusiasm, creativity and personality.”

The School Craft Competition is supported by Glasgow City Council Education Department. Deacon Convener Jimmy Miller and other senior Trades House office bearers were joined by Lord Provost Bob Winter to present pupils with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and commended certificates, each also receiving a monetary award.

Other school pupils to lift first prizes were Nicholas Cheong of Holyrood Secondary for Metalwork Standard Grade; James Stewart from Abercorn Secondary was joint first with Amy for Metalwork Intermediate; Paul Nolan of Holyrood Secondary for Woodwork Standard; Tommy Takali from Springburn Academy for Woodwork Intermediate 2; Sophie McDonald of Cleveden Secondary for Plastic Standard; and Ross McIntosh of Cleveden for Portfolios Standard. The Deacon Convener’s Achievement Award went to St Thomas Aquinas.