Student Calum full of Far Eastern promise
Youngster is off to study Mandarin on scholarship
A schoolboy has jetted off to China after being awarded a top scholarship.
Carrick Academy pupil, Calum MacDonald, held a farewell bash with pals in the Carrick Centre.
Calum is one of 22 youngsters to land a scholarship studying Mandarin at the Tianjin Foreign Studies University.
Facilitated by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools based at the University of Strathclyde, the scholarship is the only one of its kind in Europe.
The scholarships are open to applicants from sixth year pupils in Confucius Classroom Hubs.
And Calum gained a fully funded place including tuition, accommodation and a living allowance.
He will also take elective courses in aspects of Chinese culture.
The university’s motto is “In Pursuit of World Knowledge and Distinguished Character”.
Calum elected to study Mandarin as a YASS course during sixth year at Carrick.
The Young Applicants in Schools Scheme ( YASS) gives S6 students in Scotland the unique opportunity to study a range of university level modules in school alongside their other studies.
It is designed to bridge the gap between school and university, college or employment and helps motivated students stand out from the crowd.
Calum said: “I’m very excited to be going on this amazing adventure, and still dumbfounded by how it came about.
“I didn’t take a great interest in the standard language subjects at school ( i. e. German, French) but when the opportunity to study Mandarin arose, I was very quick to select it, mostly out of curiosity.
“It goes to show that if you commit yourself to a goal wholeheartedly, then you can accomplish anything, even if the odds are stacked against you.”
Carrick Academy head teacher, Shona Stevens, added: “The school had got involved with South Ayrshire Council’s initiative and linked with the Confucius hub at Gardenrose Primary.
“The opportunity arose for a student to study abroad and Calum was an ideal candidate.”
Depute head, Johnny Rusk, added: “The Confucius Hub at Gardenrose Primary established the link with Strathclyde University and its Mandarin development programme.
“Calum was the only student to choose the Chinese language option through his Open University Young Applicants in Schools option.”
Sarah Boyd, 1+ 2 Development officer and acting depute, said: “South Ayrshire’s Primary Confucius hub is based within Gardenrose in the Carrick cluster and the pupils will benefit from Calum’s journey as he will be keeping in regular contact through a project organised by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools. The links we make whilst Calum is away will strengthen pupil knowledge and understanding of China and its culture, developing their language skills in context and, ultimately, Calum being a role model to our pupils.”