Everyone was full of energy yesterday as all of the students were keen to make the most of the sunshine and their last few days here at Yarnton Manor. Following a busy day of lessons, there was free time to play outdoor games, including an intense badminton tournament, and a competitive game of American football with some of the counsellors and Programme Director, Adam.
After dinner, there was a student talent show where everyone had the opportunity to showcase their abilities such as guitar, singing, dancing, magic tricks and keyboard – just to name a few. All of the students were in good spirits and it was great to see them encouraging one another to get up on the stage to perform.
In between all of the activities, a couple of students had a few minutes to speak to us about their individual experiences. We spoke to Dennis, 18, from Sierra Leone, who is currently studying at United World College in Mostar and who has been on our Business and Enterprise programme. We also spoke to Ridhi, 14, from India, who has been studying on our New Perspectives programme.
Dennis arrived in Oxford to what he described as a friendly reception. He named his three favourite parts of his stay as the international connections he has made, the depth and detail of knowledge he has acquired and the experience of being in the iconic city of Oxford. In particular, he wanted to thank his teacher Hossein, whose dynamic and practical teaching style he has found incredibly inspiring. He is hoping to apply to universities in the US and has his own personal business plans in motion for the future.
Ridhi has found her Maths classes the most captivating and has enjoyed the experience of being more independent during her stay. Her favourite activities have included cupcake decorating and listening to one of our guest speakers, James Borrell. She said she feels that the programme has taught her to accept new challenges, as well as the importance of opening up to people from different cultures. She is hoping to go on to study either Maths and Physics or Engineering at university when she has completed her studies.