Before the Easter break, scholars and pupils were invited to submit entries for the annual Exemplum Docet Prizes. The ED Prizes allow all members of the College to submit a response to a set of stimulus pieces (individual, reflective and who is/was the greatest Briton) in a format which suits their particular skills and abilities.
Entries ranged from a classic essay, a musical composition, to a work of art! The competition was open to all College students, with the winners announced in the Whole School Assembly on Monday, with the overall winner formally awarded at Prize Giving in June.
Master of Scholars, Mr Grant Woolner judged all entries on their academic merit in response to a stimulus item, the effort put in, and the presentation skills demonstrated. He grouped them into Junior, Intermediate and Senior Awards, with an overall winner being selected from these.
Congratulations to the following winners:
Junior Category: Will Smith
Will created a stunning 'reflective' piece on the war in Ukraine - incredibly moving and thought provoking. Showing a dual piece; one side disruption and the other side the Ukrainian flag and hope.
Intermediate Category: James Lucking
James's immensely detailed and well-written exploration of the question as to whether F1 is really a team sport, tying-in with our 'individual' stimulus. The authority with which James speaks, as well as his evident enthusiasm for the sport, is very much in evidence. James does very well to explain myriad examples, which he uses to support his conclusion. A career as a pundit beckons!
Senior Category: Jamie King
Jamie's astonishingly well-referenced submission advocated - not atypically for a Literature scholar - Shakespeare as 'history’s greatest Briton'. His well-considered yardstick was as effective as his turn of phrase, and they both allowed him to reach an entirely justified conclusion following a consideration of worthy alternatives.
Overall Winner: Matt Grundy
Matt submitted a piano composition under the stimulus 'reflective'. Mr Curran said it was a beautifully reflective piece based around extended harmonies and is stylistic and idiomatic. Mr Howe and Mr Woolner thought that the level of musical proficiency - and sheer joy - of the piece made it a most worthy winner. Matt also submitted a document outlining his influences and creative process which made clear the volume of effort he had sunk into his submission.
Mr Woolner, said: "Though judging the ED Prize is often like comparing apples with oranges, it is a very nice problem to have. I am delighted that the quality of entries continues to rise in this relatively new whole-school competition.
To watch, read, listen to the winning entries, go to the Scholars' Website.
