Six students, aged 13 and 14, representing the 10 schools of Agrupamento Silves Sul flew to Southampton, UK, for the Wildern Schools Oscars ceremony. They took 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”.
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.
Next spring, Wildern students and teachers will come to Silves again for the Silves Oscars.
