Six 13- and 14-year-old students representing the ten schools of Agrupomento Silves Sul flew to Southampton for the Wildern School’s Oscars ceremony. They brought six digital films with them, out of the more than 40 produced at the schools, to enter into the Best International Film category.
On July 11, they walked the red carpet to the ceremony. The film, “Mudar de Estilo” from class 2B from EB1 school in Armação de Pêra won the award. Mauro Coelho, accepting the award for the primary school class, said that the trip was a “life changing experience.”
During their early July trip, the Silves students stayed with host families and participated in learning some English cooking, trying archery, took a day trip to Bournemouth, and spent a day and a half going to classes with their host students.
Accompanying the teenagers were Carla Mourinho Coordinator of Algoz school, Raquel São Matais primary teacher, and Alan Winn, a Past President of Silves Rotary Club.
The involvement of the Silves schools was the brain child of Alan and Pamela Winn of Silves Rotary Club three years ago. They have worked to introduce the idea of digital filming to the Silves school system as well as providing equipment and holding benefit events for making the exchange possible.
The support of Dr. Carlos Silva, Director of the schools in Agrupomento Silves Sul was invaluable.
Carla Mourinho and Raquel São Matais met with their equivalents at Wildern, profiting from the exchange of methods and ideas.
Next spring, Wildern students and teachers will come to Silves again for the Silves Oscars. Last spring, 600 people were in the audience in Pêra.
