A Forest School in Transylvania

The sound of rhythmic stringed instruments set the mood for a very special assembly on Wednesday 23 September. Then on the display screens we could see children in traditional costume as well as hear the  Romanian folk songs – a taste of the procession that greeted the 13 sixth formers  at Zau de Campie in Transylvania.

For ten years JAGS students have given two weeks of their summer break to get involved in a unique residential  project  with orphaned children in Romania, working in partnership with local sixth formers  who continue the project once the JAGS girls have gone. You can see photos and learn more about this ground-breaking scheme if you click on the link: http://www.jags.org.uk/community_links/romania/.

This year they went to  a forest school in Transylvania, working with 5 groups of 4-19 year olds in sports, art, craft,

music and drama.  Yes it’s tough, but Molly explained how they found the sheer determination to do their very best for the kids. We watched the photos as they gave us a taste of their experience.  Luiga choreographed with Hannah, a JAGS alumna, a new Latin American or Bollywood dance every day – exhausting! But there was real joy in seeing how much satisfaction the children got from physical expression. Megan’s best moment was seeing the children create the biggest sculpture they could from newspaper. Rhea and Amy ‘s highlight was Sports day, watching the fun of the egg and spoon race and realising how much difference they had made by being there. For Katie it was the drama exercises that will remain with her; for children not being familiar with drama, being asked to move round the room like bubbles could have been lost in translation but she and Leonie were undeterred by the blank expressions. Leonie described the exhilaration (if not terror!)of  group games outside in Happy Hour. 

The sense of family was very strong, all the more impressive because there were local children from the village involved with the orphans. We shouldn’t indulge a sense of pity – these children are so creative and wonderful. The finale was an incredible blend of all the practical workshops, weaving art, dance, music together through the telling of the Russian story ‘The Firebird’, in front of local dignitaries and filmed for television. The group thanked Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Askew for the opportunity she had given them: fund-raising, planning, running, and leaving, never the same again.