Superheroes graduate from Lancaster
There were some unusual graduates from the University last Friday (24 April).
More than 110 children from four Lancashire primary schools: Skerton St Luke’s, Lancaster Ridge, Caton St Paul’s and Willow Lane visited campus to graduate from ‘Superhero School’.
The event was the celebration of the children’s involvement in Lancaster University Volunteering Unit’s Creative Arts project.
The project, which started in February, used art and music to teach year three children that they have the power to affect change to the environment, their school and the local community.
Issues that the pupils wanted to tackle included: graffiti, bullying, making their school more environmentally friendly and protecting endangered animals.
LUVU volunteers helped children to realise that they were capable of helping to make these changes happen by encouraging them to think like superheroes, designing masks and inventing comic-book inspired team names.
The superhero theme was continued on Friday’s ‘graduation’ celebration at the University’s Nuffield Theatre. Pupils performed plays which they had devised themselves before being awarded their very own superhero cape as they officially graduated from LUVU’s Superhero School.
Speaking at the event LUVU Director Ben Matthews said: “I hope the children will go back to school and spread what they have learnt about their ability to make a difference to the world to the rest of the school. And, hopefully in the future they will be back at Lancaster or another university graduating for real.”
Joe Bourne, the event’s organiser, said: “I am always impressed by the lack of limitations young people set themselves. We could all do with being a little bit more ambitious about the difference we actually could make to our community, both locally and globally.”
Friday’s celebration is the second event of its type held by LUVU this year. The first, back in February, welcomed older year five pupils from four other primary schools: Ryelands, Moorside, Bowerham and West End to perform music and art about the culture and environmental issues of four different countries.
This year LUVU’s Schools Partnership that has already seen 328 volunteers work with 25 primary schools and 13 secondary schools.