Members of staff and Governors were on hand to listen to the travel plans of our intrepid students. They have all received bursaries towards the cost of their trips thanks to the generosity of the Northampton Old Grammar School Foundation. Since the Award’s creation in 1987 we have supported students as they explore the world finding time to help others and challenge themselves before moving on to University. Our students have visited virtually every corner of the globe and this year the Awards will allow students to visit Croatia, America, India, Thailand and New Zealand.

Molly Coogan 13L
Gap Year: Two weeks spent with Gap Medics shadowing qualified midwives in Croatia in addition to this Molly will be taking global health tutorials as she wants a career in midwifery. After gap year Molly intends to complete the access to nursing course at college then onto Midwifery at university. She will gain a University Award which has made significant differences to UCAS applications. This type of gap year is more common now as students seek greater work experience for their applications.

Rest of GAP year plans to do camp America as a mentor, work a ski season and travel for a month (all funded by Molly through a part time job).

Sienna Rista 13J & Breanna Goff 13Q
Ten days in the summer before University starts both aim to travel to Faridabad in India to volunteer in childcare in slum schools. Taking lessons in English, assisting with homework and teaching essential life skills and will be with a company called Mighty Roar. They are both interested in working with children. 

Ed Smith 13K
During Gap Year: Five months travelling first to Bangkok to Dhamma Dani to complete a week-long residential course studying Vipassana meditation to improve his knowledge of oriental philosophy as Ed is applying to Cambridge for philosophy after GAP year.

After this he aims to travel to New Zealand (North Island) to stay with the same family he met through NSB rugby tour and his own family before moving on with Kiwi quest on a placement with the 'WWOOF' cultural exchange scheme (World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Then moving to South Island with GoEco for two weeks of volunteering for conservation schemes. He will be returning to Bangkok for 3-4 weeks backpacking (route sorted) to immerse in religious tradition and cultural practices and enrich philosophy and theology skills.

Maria Radi 12J & Shantelle Gwebu 12H
Two weeks in India with plan my gap year company working on a rotation of a health clinic in one of the various slums, a small hospital and a GP clinic.

Shantelle and Maria want to apply for medicine in October and would like to gain medical experience whilst volunteering in India. Both plan to apply for medicine next year.

We are proud of their commitment, initiative and drive
and wish them safe travels and the best of luck in their chosen futures.