Abingdon News No. 52

www.abingdon.org.uk 5 Abingdon News This year’s Be the Best You Can Be programme was launched in fine style by visiting speaker Mike Mullen, former World and three-time UK BMX Halfpipe champion. He talked about the importance of having a growth mindset and realising that success comes as a result of plenty of hard work and perseverance. He also gave a demonstration of tricks, including jumping his BMX over three brave teachers, and taught Mr Jenkins and first year Dan Phillips how to do a trackstand - with Dan showing considerably more natural ability than his housemaster! BMX Champion inspires the Lower School The 25th anniversary of National Poetry Day was celebrated in great spirit with the annual poetry competition, a display of classic and contemporary poetry books in the library, and an open mic event in the Amey Theatre Foyer. The open mic attracted pupils and staff from across the school to share their favourite poems, or poems they had written themselves. National Poetry Day Boys in 2G raised over £65 for Children in Need at their cake sale. Twelve sixth form Spanish students and staff enjoyed the English-language version of this infamous love triangle which had been relocated from rural Spain to rural Ireland. The play provoked an interesting discussion on the way home about the cultural similarities and differences between the two countries. Blood Wedding (Bodas de sangre) at the Young Vic by Federico García Lorca Does Morality require a Divine Foundation? Dr Piers Benn gave a fascinating Edmund Society lecture to sixth form philosophy and theology students. Dr Benn - whose research interests involve ethics, such as medical ethics, philosophy of religion and philosophy of psychiatry - went into great detail about the question surrounding whether or not morality requires a divine foundation. Abingdon School in Partnership - English Mentoring More than 60 pupils from Abingdon, Larkmead, Fitzharrys and John Mason studied a variety of topics ranging from descriptive composition to speech writing, as part of the ASiP English mentoring initiative to help GCSE pupils.