Session Nine - Saturday 15th June 2013

"I understood how to use the skills of my previous ESIP sessions to put the team together and to work together."

We welcomed Liz and her team of volunteers from Thames Water and Year 8 played the Thames Network Challenge. Today was about planning, problem solving, communication and teamwork. We assigned ourselves roles from project manager to Head of Communications so we were clear who was responsible for what.

“I learned how to work really comfortably and effectively in a group.”

We had to plan where our networks would go and what the costs and challenges would be. We then built the networks with the kit and ended up with a network of plastic pipes, reservoir and customer tanks. We presented our designs and then had to justify our ‘most important customer’ in a three minute presentation.

“I have learnt to be more confident about my ideas and to be able to take on a role and achieve it.”

We had to argue persuasively, consider other opinions and keep an open mind and learned there were often no right or wrong answers – just different ones! 

“I have learned how to think of alternative ideas if the main idea did not go to plan.”

Year 9 looked at the Philosophy of Audacity, moving from the abstract through practicality to reality (A-P-R). We learned to be ‘thumbs’ not fingers – standing out to make a difference.

“By understanding what my barriers are I have realized they are not hard to overcome and if I overcome them it will help me.” 

“I have learnt that I can change to inspire others just as other inspirational women have done.”

We looked at the barriers in our lives and considered the ladder of success. We thought less egotistically and more from an altruistic position. We shaped our ideas and our big audacious goals, moving from passive to active, from unrealistic dreams to achievable and developed dreams. We started to become leaders rather than followers.

“I learnt how to keep motivated even when success seems difficult to achieve.”

“I want to stop thinking about my failures and be proud for what life-changing things I learn from them. I will stop thinking negatively.”