8L from RBAI join 8IW online

Welcome to BGS English Blog, 8L from Inst:

H.I.V.E

Invisible City

Revenge

Titanic 2020

Skulduggery Pleasant

BGS+RBAI=VLE

Skulduggery Pleasant

Revenge

H.I.V.E

Invisible City

Titanic 2020

8IW have volunteered to take part in a ground-breaking reading scheme with year 8 pupils in RBAI. Under the directorship of the two librarians, Mrs Lindsey of Inst and our own Mrs C, boys from both schools will be reading 5 new novels and sharing in tasks posted online in a Virtual Learning Environment hosted by Learning NI.

Keep watching for further details of their progress.

Book Fair

Thanks to all those boys who bought books. The total sales have come to £744.00! What a result. You have earned around £350.00 worth of free books for the library.

Golden Ticket Winners!

The winners of ' The Golden Ticket ' competition are as follows:

Winner : Andrew Poxon (8RS)

Runners Up: Owen Morris (8RS) & Davis Aumonier (8FG)

Congratulations! Please come the library to collect your prizes.

Book Fair

The Scholastic Fair is coming to Bangor Grammar library for a week, starting Monday 14th April. Mrs Cowdrey needs 10 willing volunteers to help with the book fair. They will be responsible for setting up and manning the book fair at break and lunch time during the week. The book fair has a great selection of the latest books at great prices. So save your pocket money and bring it in next week and spend spend spend! Watch this space for news of the special competition to run during the book fair with great prizes.

Bateman Project Launch

BGS Bateman Project
The BGS English Department, in association with the Parents’ Association, is to produce a compilation of new writing inspired and influenced by the work of ex-pupil and famous author, Colin Bateman.

Bateman is a prolific writer, and has produced a range of novels for adults and children alike. We invite you to use the titles below as a starting point for your own writing – prose, poetry or play. Your teacher will have some ideas to stimulate you, but feel free to submit additional work directly to me.

All pieces of work should be word processed and offered in digital format via CD, memory stick or email (bgsenglish@googlemail.com).

You need not have read the titles concerned, but I would encourage you to do so after writing your own piece.

This is an exciting project, and I look forward to the prospect of reading your work, whether selected for the final book or not.

Gary Greer
Head of English

Selected titles:

Chapter and Verse
The Seagulls have Landed
Empire State
Belfast Confidential
Cycle of Violence
The Horse with My Name
Murphy’s Law
Wild about Harry
Divorcing Jack
Maid of the Mist
Titanic 2020
I Predict a Riot

Harry Potter Wins Again!

In order to celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 6th March, both the librarian and the Head of English worked miracles to get Master Alex Rider and Master Harry Potter to take part in our special debate. These two characters went head to head at lunch time in the library. The motion was "This house would ban magic". The debate was chaired by Mr S. Wolfenden and well supported by Junior school pupils. The result ... well Master Potter was the victor, but was a little magic used?

70th Anniversary Debate

"Is Life Worth Living?"

70th Anniversary Commemorative Debate

BGS Drama Studio

11 March 2008, 7.30pm

BGS Senior Debating Society are hosting a special commemorative debate to mark the 70th anniversary of a similar debate held on the eve of WWII, in which conflict one of the speakers, Frank Gault, gave his life.
This is a special and poignant occasion for both the Society and BGS as a whole, and we will be welcoming guests from the Gault family circle.
All are invited to attend, with tickets available from the school office.

Alec Williams, celebrated storyteller, visits BGS

Alec Williams got a warm welcome from 60 Year 8 pupils on Thursday 28 February. He was visiting our library and used the opportunity to tell stories and read poems. Staff and pupils alike were soon in fits of giggles, especially when he intoduced us to a book called "Laugh Out Loud". His stories were fascinating, and I can't wait for him to return.
Stewart Jackson 8IW

Alec Williams started by introducing himself and telling a few jokes. He read from a large number of books, including " Excuses, Excuses" and my favourite "Two Frogs". The jokes were funny and the stories gripping. I especially liked the section of the book about boy soldiers which he read; I'll definately try to find and read that book myself. We presented him with a present so that he would remember his short time in Bangor. Everyone was talking about how good the afternoon was as we were walking down the corridor on the way back to class.
Greg Shevlin 8IW

Great Books, Great Movies!

Calling all Spiderwick Chronicle fans ... the movie is out on the 21st of this month. For those of you who aren't familiar with the series "The Spiderwick Chronicles," is a fantasy adventure for the child in all of us. Peculiar things start to happen the moment the Grace family leave New York and move into the secluded old house owned by their great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick.

Don't miss it, after all its release date is in the holidays.

Wanted - Irish News Unplugged Reporters

The Irish News is looking for teenagers to express their views on music, the internet, movies and current affairs in the Unplugged column which is published every Monday.

If you have an interest in journalism and a flair for writing, and you want to earn £20 per column published, please see Mr Greer for details.

Bateman Project coming soon

One of BGS's famous sons, novelist Colin Bateman, has agreed to join with us in helping to complile an anthology of writing loosely based on the titles of his books. Bateman has a huge following, and is critically celebrated for his brand of off-the-wall humour, his local settings and characters and his intricate murder-mystery plots. All boys in school, and Connor House, will be invited to contribute to the anthology, which is the "brainchild" of the Parents' Association. More details will be announced soon.

BGS Debating Teams Triumph

Both BGS A & B Senior debating teams have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Schools Debating Competition. BGS is no stranger to success in this competition, having come home with the trophy in 2000 and 2004. We will be following their progress online.

Chris Eisenstadt (Year 14) is a B team member, and explains here his passion for debating:

Bangor Grammar has an illustrious history in debating. We have consistently provided some of the best and brightest teams in Northern Ireland. I belive that there is a reason why we have such active societies, both senior and junior; it is the emotional and intellectual thrill of besting someone in argument, a feeling I myself have experienced as I have debated my way to the quarter finals of the debating competition this year.

Debating, not against your peers in the somewhat relaxed environment of a Friday school debate, but against people from other schools - people who have travelled the length and breadth of Northern Ireland, each one a maverick, an unknown - is a unique experience. With my school friends, I know what to expect, but even with the trite conversation before a competitive debate it is difficult to discern the quality of an opponent until one hears the speeches.

It is an excitement, a concoction of nervousness, readiness and of adrenaline, that one feels getting up to deliver a speech, not least because of the impassive, objective face of the invigilator at the back. Nothing feels quite like getting up and delivering one’s argument, giving an impassioned oration, refuting the points of the opposition or answering questions with no forewarning. The sensation of contest is unmatched, and the incredible unease between the end of the debate and the invigilator's decision is matched only by the ecstasy of victory.

The Gryphon 2007

BGS's annual school magazine, The Gryphon, was launched today. As usual, it is a comprehensive account of the life of the school; from Speech Day to Safe Driving, from rugby to retirements, from Grammarians to Connor House and from the Tayto facory to Uganda.

Anyone who has yet to receive their copy should contact the Editor, Mr Stevenson.

Open Night plaudits for BGS drama

From Frances Burscough's column in the Belfast Telegraph, 31 January 2008:

The perfect antidote to those 11 plus blues...

Good luck to all 11-year-olds for the results of the transfer test this Saturday and congratulations to Bangor Grammar for the most entertaining open night so far this selection season. I took my wee man along expecting a series of boring speeches and departmental presentations, only to be thoroughly entertained during an evening of music, drama and comedy.

Ok, so I was slightly selective in my tour - we dashed through physics and maths at breakneck speed and gave biology a pretty wide berth, but then made ourselves right at home in the music department and enjoyed a full orchestral arrangement of Stevie Wonder oldies that would have been worthy of the Ulster Orchestra live from the Waterfront Hall. That was followed by a half hour of hilarious comedy and performance art from the drama department. The result? One of the best nights out we've had in ages. I know ... how sad is that? I really do need to get out more ...

BGS English goes online

Farewell to the luddites! The Bangor Grammar English department and friends have launched a new blog to keep everyone up to date with what's happening in the Arts throughout the school. We will be highlighting what is going on in the theatre (the junior drama is currently rehearsing on Thursday nights), keeping up to date with our debaters (well done to both A and B teams who have reached the quarter-finals), reviewing new books and films and providing a public forum in which our pupils can publish their work.

It is just the beginning for us; all help and advice will be appreciated, so feel free to provide articles and photos, offer your technical help or simply pass on some constructive criticism on what you see online.

Get blogging!

Mr Greer