First Give finals raise £1500 for charity

For the second year running, MAS students have been competing to win £1000 for a charity of their choice.

The First Give Programme, run by the charity First Give, provides resources for student to develop presentation skills and a collaborative approach to learning, for the benefit of their community. Students are supported to research social issues and choose a charity that will receive £1000 from First Give if their group wins the competition.

Throughout March 2017, groups of students devised and performed their presentations in lessons and 8 groups (50 students in total) were selected for the final. The groups put in a huge amount of time and effort to preparing their presentations which included drama pieces, films, paintings, monologues and even a film of choreographed hands performing to a monologue.  Each group chose their own charity to benefit, including ChildLine, MIND, Crisis and Make a Wish.

First Give provided coaching and tips for the finalists, supported by Year 10 student mentors. In a competitive final, on 29th March, students made their final presentations to an audience of parents, staff, visitors and, most important of all, the judges (made up of staff, students and a representative from First Give).

The winners were Salman Yasir, Ilyas Ahmed, Mohammed Dilwar Fahim Hussain, Brady McGaughran and Sultan Yussuf who won £1000 for local charity Hackney Ark. There were also two runners up who won £500 each for charities, Mind and Oxfam.