East Ayrshire Learning Festival

Six of our senior pupils attended the East Ayrshire Learning Festival at Cumnock Academy on Saturday 1 November Nathan Gilmore and Jordan Kane of S4 manned a display which featured pupils' involvement in leadership activities such as the Ocean Youth Trust and the Citizenship programme. They also spoke to visitors about their work in the school's engineering department. Heather Dunn of S4 and Leanne Waugh of S5 delivered a presentation to the audience on the Dark Skies observatory project at Craigengillan Estate. Doon pupils have been involved in planning and securing funding for this exciting project which will attract star gazers to a new visitor centre and educational facility near Loch Doon. The area is officially classified as one of the best places in the world for studying planets in the night sky. Doon pupils are also developing the area’s reputation as a centre for art lovers. The school and working artists are creating an art trail which will link existing and new sculptures at the school, the town and in Craigengillan Estate. This project was presented to the audience by Megan McCleary of S4 and Gordon Copeland of S6. The pupils said the project would soon be attracting art lovers, families and walkers to the lovely landscape in and around Dalmellington.
The pupils were accompanied by DHT Mr MacKenzie, Mr Ellis, and Mr Tomlinson who is a Kilmarnock College engineering lecturer.