Jack Storry and Laura Hopkins will put their communication and teamwork skills to the test when they take part in the Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement, from the 2nd to the 13th July 2007, funded by the HSBC Global Education Trust.
The students will be part of a 48 strong youth crew from 24 schools across England and Wales who will be developing life skills and learning first hand about geography and weather systems as they sail the Tall Ship, STAVROS S NIARCHOS, from Portsmouth to London.

This will be the seventh year that the HSBC Global Education Trust has sponsored a Voyage of Achievement. Dame Mary Richardson, Chief Executive of the HSBC Global Education Trust, said: “Positive and exciting experiences such as sailing on the Voyage of Achievement can be an excellent way to reward and inspire students, while providing them with an opportunity to develop important life skills such as teamwork and communication outside the classroom environment.”

Mr Clarke said: there was a lot of interest from our sixth formers in this fantastic opportunity. There were a number of equally deserving applications and in the end we had to draw names out of a hat. The College is delighted that our association with HSBC has provided our students with this wonderful opportunity.

Immediately on joining the ship in Portsmouth, the students will be assigned to one of three teams called “watches”. Having just met for the first time, each watch will spend the whole of the 11-night voyage working closely together, living eight to a cabin and even rising at 4am for night watch duties. While onboard, the students will join forces with the permanent crew and take part in every aspect of sailing a Tall Ship: they will helm the 60-metre Square Rigger, scale her 45-metre masts to set and stow sails and navigate.

Tim Law, Tall Ships Youth Trust Marketing and Operations Director, said: “For many this voyage will be a life changing experience. A Tall Ships Voyage takes people out of their comfort zone and they will find things within themselves that they did not realise were there. Tasks such as climbing the rigging or helping prepare dinner for 67 people can give young people a real sense of achievement and self worth.”

Laura Hopkins said: I’m really looking forward to meeting new people, learning new skills like sailing, and visiting new places, we don’t know exactly where we are going yet, we’ve been told to take our passports, we are starting in Portsmouth and finishing in London 12 days later, where we go in the meantime will depend on the weather. Jack Storry said: I’m looking forward to sailing the tall ship and working in a team environment, but I’m really excited by the prospect of climbing high up in the rigging. The students will sail from Portsmouth, across the English Channel to France, before arriving in London and sailing under Tower Bridge on Thursday 12 July 2007.

UPDATE ******* Here is the latest photo of Laura and Jack on the ship.

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