There were 20 students from Cumberland School in Plaistow who met with local athletes and schoolchildren from Barnsley, and they took part in a workshop called ‘Have You Got What It Takes?’ Basically it was an ‘Apprentice’-style competition which used the Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Values to teach them how to be more creative, to solve problems and to work as a team. They also learnt about managing money and how to plan a budget.
I’m really excited about the Games and the regeneration they’ll bring to Newham and the whole of London.
With my Youth Council I’m going to make sure that we continue to empower young people so that they have an influence on the Games, creating an enduring legacy after 2012.
I was really pleased to be there to wish the Cumberland students good luck, and send them off with the positive message that all young people should have the chance to benefit from the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.
I also got the chance to speak to Seb Coe on the platform at St. Pancras. He said that it was fantastic to see young people from Newham and Barnsley working together and it was an example of the London 2012 learning legacy in action.
I couldn’t agree more. We’re really lucky in Newham that the Olympic Park is on our doorstep, so it’s right that we should share the education opportunities that it brings with people from other parts of the country.
