PUPILS at Preston Lodge High School did not let the ongoing coronavirus crisis prevent them from holding two of their biggest end-of-year celebrations.

Staff, pupils and their families enjoyed the prizegiving and S6 leaving ceremonies virtually, after the Covid-19 lockdown suspended or postponed end-of-year celebrations.

On June 22, the school said goodbye to its S6 students at a virtual leavers’ ceremony.

Staff made a special film for the event (www.youtube.com/watch?v=d56YIaKRcbw) and the school’s juvenile band also paid tribute (www.youtube.com/watch?v=beky7g8gRXs).

Students even recreated the S6 march out which usually takes place at prizegiving and sees the students march from the hall or, in this case, their computer screens, go outside and throw their ties in the air.

Students were asked to leave comments and a ‘word cloud’ of many of these was created.

The S6 students hope to enjoy a final celebration at their rescheduled prom in September.

On June 24, the school held its first ever virtual prizegiving ceremony and among the guests was Lesley Brown, chief operating officer for education at East Lothian Council.

People were welcomed to the event by the school’s senior pipe band, whose performance can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU5FRnWMEzk

The ceremony featured musical performances from Rebecca and Lucy Hunter, who performed New Shoes and This Is The Life; the S5 higher music class, who performed Summertime; and Nicholas Stevenson, who performed a piano solo of Liebestraum No 3 by Liszt.

After the awards were announced, everyone stood up at their computers to acknowledge the school duxes, Olivia Skinner and Gregor Cargill.

A performance from the staff choir followed, which can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Gsnd_3B5Ro, and afterwards those who attended were asked to leave comments; again, these were used to make a word cloud (pictured).

Gavin Clark, headteacher, said: “It was really good to be able to connect with our students who have achieved so much this year.”

He congratulated Olivia, this year’s school dux, and Gregor, the S4 dux, adding: “Many thanks to all our students for their learning, achievement, respect, community building and happiness this year.”

New this year was the Scott Glynn Award, in memory of the late county fundraiser – a former PL pupil – in conjunction with the Walk With Scott Foundation. The prize is presented to a pupil or pupils who have served their community and made a difference to others by raising money for a charity, project or cause. This year’s winners were Emma Donnan, Lucy Hunter and Jaime Sutherland.

Winners in each category

S1 Academic Awards: Gracie Barber, Emily Barr, Amy Darling, Lucy Darling, Grace Fallon, Samuel Hill, Angus Johnston-Smith, Daniel McCabe, Eilidh McGowan, Roma Millar, Thomas Monaghan, Warrick Murray, Sol Ramsay, Luca Ronchi, Hannah Shearer and Lewis Yorkston.

S2 Academic Awards: Lucas Aniello, Billy Bingham, Kyle Forrest, Brooke Hadden, Arwen Hood, Zoe Hunter, Katie Kemp, Ivan Maguire, Kristina Myhill, Rachel Radmore, Zack Robertson, James Skinner, Rebecca Taylor, Becca Thompson and Libby Thompson.

S3 Academic Awards: Millie Allan, Aidee Filogonio, Daniel Filogonio, Nora Gordon, Molly Kane, Skye Laidlaw, Valentina Lucernoni, Jacob McDonald, Felix Menzies, Cami Murray, Iris Scott, Ben Taylor, Liam Till, Grace Warnock, Amy Watson and Charlotte Wright.

S4 Academic Awards: Rachel Cowe, Lily Devine, Eleanor Dunbar, Molly Grzybowski, Stasiu Kisiel, Jamie McDonald, Sula McDonald, Lewis Miller, Georgia Murray, Lucy Pryde, Samuel Robertson, Maya Scott, Nicole Scoular and Kathryn Taylor.

S5 Academic Awards: Sophie Archibald, Nicole Bain, Matthew Costello, Jackalyn Dickson, Callum Goodall, Lauren Grigg, Rebecca Hunter, Mhairi Jamieson, Ellie McVicar, Holly Marr, Craig Mason, Anna Monaghan, Freya Morris, Rachel Taylor and Joanne Welch.

S6 Academic Awards: Abbey Aitken, Chloe Allan, Sam Bird, Archie Bryden, Eilidh Buckley, Becky Cargill, Mary Devine, Clelia Di Canto, Abbey Doidge, Brodie Fairgrieve, Daniel Mair, Cameron McDiarmid, Isla Moodie, Erin Robb, Eve Royall, Katie Scoular, Nicholas Stevenson, Abby Stewart and Henry Sykes.

S1 Aims and Values Award: Liam Connarty (Responsible), Sophie Greig (Achievement, Reasoning), Zain Guettari (Reflective, Respect), Hayley Hawkins (Respect), Ruari Horne (Reasoning, Reflective), Angus Johnston-Smith (Community), Daniel McCabe (Community), Roma Millar (Achievement, Community, Learning, Responsible), Harvey Orr (Community), Sophie Robertson (Resourceful), Connor Selkirk (Resilient), Martha Thomson (Reasoning, Resilient), Jamie Todd (Learning) and Leo Wakeling (Achievement, Community, Happiness, Learning, Respect).

S2 Aims and Values Awards: Zane Aitchison (Resourceful), Kayla Anderson (Resourceful), Max Aniello (Resourceful), Emma Darling (Reflective), Talitha Duff (Resourceful), Gavin Fisher (Reflective), Brooke Hadden (Achievement, Learning, Responsible), Jamie Harley (Community), Murray Holmes (Resilient), Katie Kemp (Reasoning), Vakrilena Kolakova (Reflective), Dillon Lamb (Happiness), Imogen McNaughton (Learning, Responsible), Jack McQuat (Happiness), Grace Millar (Learning), Niamh Robb (Responsible), Louise Scott (Reflective), Logan Thomas (Resilient), Andrew Thomson (Learning), Dylan Veitch (Community) and Michael Welch (Reasoning).

S3 Aims and Values Awards: Callum Aitken (Community), Millie Allan (Reasoning), Chloe Bayne (Reflective), Angus Blair (Resilient), Ross Buckley (Community), Keziah Duff (Happiness), Aidee Filogonio (Learning), Daniel Filogonio (Happiness, Learning), Nora Gordon (Achievement, Community), Benjamin Harrison (Resilient), Ethan Laidlaw (Resilient), Josh Laidlaw (Respect), Ben McCabe (Achievement, Happiness, Responsible), Blake McIntyre (Resourceful), Daniel Moos (Respect), Cami Murray (Reflective), Olivia Ramsay (Respect), Frazer Robertson (Respect), Lewis Rodgers (Learning), Daniel Ross (Respect), Lottie Thompson (Respect), Chloe Watt (Resilient), Emma Watt (Community) and Isla Wellwood (Responsible).

S4 Aims and Values Awards: Daniel Barr (Resilient), Scott Brown (Community), Gregor Cargill (Community), Ami Chambers (Resilient), Rachel Crowe (Resilient), Nicholas Crowe (Happiness), Kimberly Dryburgh (Learning), Lyle Foot (Community), Ciaran Foulner (Community), Eilidh Grzybowski (Happiness), Molly Grzybowski (Resourceful, Responsible), Rebecca Hill (Respect), Jake Lindsay (Learning), Annaliese Mack (Community), Andrew Morgan (Resourceful, Responsible), Callie Mullen (Respect), Lauren Peattie (Reasoning, Reflective), Lucy Pryde (Community), Alfie Reid (Resourceful), David Reid (Resilient), Emily Russell (Responsible), Nicole Scoular (Responsible), Andrew Sutherland (Respect), Miroslav Tarov (Respect) and Ryan Wilson (Happiness).

S5 Aims and Values Awards: Roma Aitken (Achievement, Community), Aimee Brown (Happy, Resourceful, Responsible), Ben Cunningham (Learning, Reflective), Ross Hislop (Achievement, Responsible), Marnie Horne (Respect), Rebecca Hunter (Community, Learning), Leona Jack (Respect), Mhairi Jamieson (Resilient, Resourceful), Veneliya Kolakova (Respect), Ella McCann (Happy), Luke McDonald (Respect), Holly Marr (Resilient), Craig Mason (Community), Lewis Mason (Respect), Camrin Morgan (Reflective), Brookie Mossie (Reflective), Adam Sinclair (Respect), Olivia Skinner (Reasoning), Morven Smith (Happy), Chloe Surradge (Reflective), Gregor Thomson (Happy), Joanne Welch (Reasoning) and Erin West (Resilient).

S6 Aims and Values Awards: Sabeela Alim (Responsible), Sumaiya Alim (Resourceful), Mairead Brown (Community), Eilidh Buckley (Reasoning, Respect), Matthew Burns (Resilient, Respect), Becky Cargill (Resilient), Ellis Corrigan (Reasoning, Resilient), Jae Corrigan (Respect), Mary Devine (Achievement), Clelia Di Canto (Achievement), Abbie Doidge (Achievement), Emma Donnan ( Responsible), Ewan Ford (Learning), Lewis Goodall (Happy), Jillie Gray (Responsible), Findlay Johnston (Resourceful), Matthew Johnston (Community, Resourceful), Max Kane (Respect), Emma Lessels (Happy), Susannah MacMillan (Resourceful), Niall McCluskey (Learning, Reasoning, Reflective, Responsible), Becky McKean (Community, Happy), Jack Main (Responsible), Matthew Proudfoot (Achievement, Community, Happy, Reflective, Resourceful), Jack Quinn (Responsible), Jennifer Raeburn (Achievement, Learning, Responsible), Erin Robb (Resilient, Resourceful), Euan Scott (Reflective, Resilient, Respect), Tom Sinclair (Learning, Reasoning) and Mia Wilkie (Community).

Special Awards: David Edginton Memorial Prize, Kimberley Dryburgh; Rotary Prize, Zack Robertson; The Fraser Kiernan Memorial Award, Chloe Watt and Emma Watt; Peter Ford Award, Becky Cargill and Matthew Proudfoot; Timbershack Award, Jack McQuat and Grace Warnock; Scott Glynn Award, Emma Donnan, Lucy Hunter and Jaime Sutherland; Respect Prize, Aaron Gilchrist; Preston Lodge Learning Foundation Award, Clelia Di Canto, Mary Devine, Zara Fraser, Amy Lumsden, Becky McKean, Jennifer Raeburn, Callum Aitken, Daniel Filogonio, Skye Laidlaw, Naomi McGregor, Anais Rawlinson, Iris Scott, Chloe Watt and Emma Watt; Gill Pert Skills for Work Award, Amy Lumsden and Matthew Proudfoot; Developing Leadership Skills in Myself and Others Award, Callum Aitken, Nora Gordon and Skye Laidlaw; Award for Sport, Boys – Daniel Mair, Girls – Emma Lessels and Amy Lumsden; House Captains: Gosford – Daniel Burdett, Nicholas Guest, Isla Moodie and Jaime Sutherland, Grange – Declan Bellany, Ellis Corrigan, Amy Lumsden, Daniel Mair and Jack Quinn, Seton – Sam Bird, Emily Fisher, Rebecca Hamilton, Emma Lessels and Matthew Proudfoot; Winning House, Seton; Parent Council Award for Musical Excellence, Matthew Burns; Contribution to the Music Department, Euan Scott.

Senior Team Members: Eilidh Buckley, Becky Cargill, Connor Currie, Clelia di Canto and Abbie Doidge; Beith Bequest for Service to the School, Head Boy – Henry Sykes, Head Girl – Hannah Donaldson.