A UNIQUE graduation ceremony takes place at St German’s Cathedral in Peel this month.
Complete with gowns and mortar boards, 57 children aged five to 14 will be the first graduates of the Children’s University, launched in the island in March 2012.
They will celebrate clocking up hundreds of hours of Children’s University learning through visiting the ever-growing list of validated ‘public learning destinations’.
Carys Lloyd, who leads the Children’s University in the island, said: ‘It will be wonderful to see the first children accept certificates marking their achievements in front of proud parents in such an auspicious setting.
‘The Cathedral’s young choristers are a validated activity and we are grateful that the venue is hosting this occasion.’
The charitable trust rewards children’s participation in activities taking place outside the normal school day.
Children buy passports for £2 and gain stamps by visiting destinations including Manx National Heritage sites, dance, arts and music organisations and sports groups.
Certificates charting their progress are awarded at graduation ceremonies.
Children also gain stamps in their passports by attending their schools’ own lunchtime and after-school activities, provided their school is a Children’s University partner.
Membership also gives passport-holders access to accredited learning destinations across the UK and beyond.
Ten schools – eight primaries and two secondaries – are currently participating in the scheme and more than 400 passports have been issued to youngsters.
The graduation next Monday (April 23) will be attended by Education and Children Minister Tim Crookall MHK, Lynda Moore, from the University of Chester, with which the island’s Children’s University is now linked, Ger Graus, the chief executive of the Children’s University Trust, and island Children’s University chancellor Dr Jeremy Paul.
Sponsors will also be invited. They include business and technology services solutions company Intelligence, which set up and hosts the website www.iomcu.im/, Scottish Widows and Shoprite.
Carys would be pleased to discuss sponsorship opportunities with would-be sponsors.
For more information on the Children’s University and to see which schools are taking part, visit the website, the Facebook page Isle of Man Children’s University or the Twitter feed @IOMCU. Alternatively, call Carys on 686088 or email enquire@iomcu.im
