Junior School Pupils Report on the Sponsored Walk

Our Junior School pupils have written about their experiences of the Sponsored Walk which took place on Friday, 28 September. You can read some of their accounts here:

They Swapped Books for Boots

Fantastic School Fundraiser Makes Thousands of Pounds

Everybody knows Dollar Academy pupils work very hard in their classrooms.  But recently they have also done a nine mile walk up the Ochil Hills!  Dollar Academy has done something most schools would find very hard to believe. They have sent over one THOUSAND pupils up the Ochils.  They have made all this effort to raise money for five different charities.  These include Sight Savers International, Brainwave and Rachel House, the children’s hospice in Kinross.  The sponsored walk took place on the 28th September. They embarked on their walk at 9.15a.m. and the last walkers arrived back at school at 3.00p.m. That was some full on walking!  The route led from the school to the lunch field in Glen Devon. They had chosen the best day for the walk. Mrs Currie, a Junior 2 teacher, even said, ‘This walk is much better than the last one. Last time it was bucketing down with rain.’ The day was nice.  It wasn’t too hot or too cold so it was just right on the weather front.  There were some cuts and bruises but thankfully none of them were serious.  I met one of the injured walkers.  Her name was Anouska Pandya, 11, J2G pupil. She said, ‘I felt really sore and unhappy after I fell but it’s hard to feel like that for too long when there is such a fantastic atmosphere.’  The route was steep and the mud was everywhere. The teachers and pupils were all chanting, ‘And I will walk 500 miles….’ This was a strange but cheerful sight.  When they arrived at the lunch field it was loud and everybody was buzzing with energy. This was all drowned out by the lovely sound of the school’s pipe band.  On the way back, no one was as enthusiastic as they had had been when they left. But no one moaned. The views of Glenquey Reservoir were spectacular.  The pupils managed to raise a massive £46,000 and the amount is still growing. The sponsored walk was a real success. I met a Junior 2 pupil, Romy Ewing, who said, ‘It was a really good day but I can’t wait until I get home and have a nice long bath.’  Undoubtedly the sponsored walk was a huge success and was enjoyed by everyone who took part.

By Elspeth Drysdale, J2J

‘The Sponsored Walk’

It was a perfect day on Friday 28th September and all the pupils of Dollar Academy were preparing for the walk of a lifetime.  We had to cover 9 miles…lucky us!  At first I wondered how I was going to manage this but I was surprised to find that it was easy!

We encountered many things along the way such as boot eating mud pools, dark woods, enormous hills, bewildered squirrels and some encouraging bystanders.  I walked with none other than John Moore and Joshua Cramb.  For Josh it was his first walk, for John it was his second and for me it was my fourth.  We vigorously took on the challenge and thwarted its attempts to tire us out!

Two things kept us going; first the thought of being able to stop halfway at the lunch field, and secondly knowing that we were raising money for a good cause.  When we finally reached the lunch field, I was glad that we were allowed to stop to eat, because by then I was hungry.

Before we knew it, it was time for the journey back.  Unfortunately, to get out of the lunch field we had to go uphill, which was a little tiring, but I managed.  The journey back seemed to be shorter and easier, which came as a surprise to me.  I was expecting it to be just as hard on the way back.  Suddenly I recognised where we were and knew that we were not too far from the Junior School.

As the Junior School came into view we knew the walk was over and together we had achieved what we set out to do.  I think it is brilliant that the whole school get together on one day to do this and that they raise so much money for people who need it most.

By Cameron McCrackey, J2H

‘The Sponsored Walk’

On the 28th September Dollar Academy took part in a huge sponsored walk.  The Senior School walked eleven miles but the Junior School only had to walk nine.  We walked nearly five miles to the lunch field in Glendevon and then back past Castle Campbell and Glenquey Reservoir.  We were walking to raise money for six different charities - Sightsavers International, Nutrir, Depression Alliance UK, Brainwave, Rachel House and Friends of the Beatson.

I really enjoyed the day because I could meet new people as well as walk with my friends.  I started with people I knew but then I ended up walking with a girl I didn’t know who was really good fun.  It was fun, too, watching all the seniors coming down the hills.  I was tired on the way there but I was fine on the way back.  It was a great experience because I had never walked that far before.

By Heather Morrison, J1N

‘The Sponsored Walk’

The whole of Dollar Academy took part in this sponsored event, where we all, from Prep One to Form Six, walked into the Scottish Ochils.  Everyone had to obtain at least a few sponsors from family or relatives whose money would finally all be brought together and be split equally between six charities.  The Prep School ventured a little way into the hills, some going as far as Castle Campbell.  The Junior School trekked nine miles in total, stopping once at midday at what we call ‘the lunch field’ beside Teth Hill.  The Seniors ate here as well, but they walked a slightly longer way, through a more ‘foresty’ terrain.  Most of the time, people walked in small groups of twos and threes, and the only time we all got together was probably at the lunch field.  There were hot dog vans and everything, including a First Aid van there.  On the way, I walked with Sarah McCann and Isabelle O’Bryen but on way back down the hills, everybody walked with anybody!  It didn’t rain once, although the weather wasn’t quite perfect.  It was more damp and dull than sunny, but just passing Castle Campbell the second time, it brightened up a bit for the last leg home.  It was horrendously muddy, up and down, and a few hundred people splattered and painted themselves with horrible squelchy, slimy dollops of the muck, including me! (The teachers were not impressed!)  Altogether, the entire thing was extremely enjoyable and a great success.  I would do it again any day!

By Bethan Scott, J2C

‘The Sponsored Walk’

We all came into school looking very different on Friday 28th September!  It was the day of the sponsored walk and at ten past nine we left the Junior School.

We started by going through the Mill Green.  I was walking with my friend Laura.  As we went up the steps to get on the road, we all looked straight ahead because it was steep and a long way down to one side.  Later on, when we had just passed Castle Campbell, I thought we were not going to survive the day but we carried on for the next four miles.

When we got to the lunch field we were all exhausted.  We ate our lunch, talking and trying to forget about the pain in our feet.  On the way back I stepped in a huge puddle.  It was a great day and it looks as if we might raise nearly £50,000 for our chosen charities.

By Laura Manson, J1M

Junior School
The Support for Learning Department