Hard work and great teamwork wins Sidmouth team a trip to Switzerland

HAVE you got what it takes? Well clearly Sidmouth College students have.

A team of six 14 and 15-year-olds have just won the National Olympic 2012 Enterprise finals at Canary Wharf and are off to Switzerland before Christmas for their prize.

Encouraged to enter by PE teacher Ben Williams and Nicki Young, head of work-related learning in July, the final team was chosen from those choosing PE and or Business Studies for GCSE options.

The six winners are Kitty Harrison, Joe Griffiths, Will Price, Katie Bower, Will Sander and Alicia Harrington, who went to make their final – and winning - presentation in London.

Working as a team, after being given a tour of the Olympic Park, they were given tasks relating to hosting a three-day Olympic event and as part of their task interviewed Olympian Jenny Pacey, who represented Britain in bobsleighing and long jump, is a heptathlete and is well-known as Enigma in TV’s Gladiators.

They also had to respond to a last minute ‘risk’ factor, with arrangements having to be re-organised at the eleventh hour.

The college team was judged the winner for its “professional approach and use of the Olympic and Paralympic values” and will now go to Lausanne in Switzerland, to the International Olympic Committee headquarters and Museum, for their prize.

The college became involved in the contest because it is a member of the Get Set Network and it is hoped students will be able to buy tickets for the 2012 Olympics.

Mr Williams said: “I am really proud of them. After all the hard work they did as a team they did a fantastic job and put in a large amount of effort in their own time. They deserve everything they win.”

Kitty, 14, said: “Our win was unexpected but a great achievement as a group.”

Alicia, 14, added: “I think it was a really good opportunity, we worked really well as a group and I am looking forward to seeing the Olympic Museum.”

Will Saunders, 15, said: “I think I did my bit. I spent every lunchtime in the business room brushing up on the presentation.”

Joe Griffiths, 14, said: “I was in a really strong group. We didn’t expect to get shortlisted but we were a strong team and we had to write down why we wanted to get to London.”