Pupils in Strathspey to communicate with Greenland via satellite link

Pupils from four schools in Strathspey will shortly be taking part in a project where, by satellite link, they will communicate with a Highland woman who is embarking on an expedition to cross Greenland on skis.

A team of six people will attempt the ‘By Hands and Feet across Greenland 2006’ project – completing 600km across the vast Arctic desert of Greenland’s ice-cap, beginning on 2nd May, in temperatures of up to -30°c. Karen Darke, who lives in Grantown on Spey, and is also paralysed from the chest down from a rock-climbing accident, will be one of the team members.

For the next few days, Karen, along with a team of Careers Scotland advisers, will visit the schools which are taking part - Kingussie High, Kingussie Primary, Grantown Grammar and Grantown Primary School.

Careers Scotland staff will work with P7 and S2 pupils, looking at the transition to secondary school as well as the personal challenges posed by embarking in their standard grades. Karen’s experiences during her journey will capture the pupils’ imagination, and increase their self-awareness and their ability to make realistic plans and reflect on their performance. In addition, it will demonstrate how information and communication technology can be harnessed in the Highlands and Islands.

The school pupils will communicate with Karen via emails, photos and audio clips which will be posted here on the Highlands and Islands (HIE) website, depending on the satellite connection. Karen’s 'blogs' will explain how the multi-national team of adventurers are working together, and what lessons they are learning about working with other people. The pupils will have an opportunity to ask Karen questions when she phones each school live from the ice-cap or via the HIE website blogs.

Catriona Eagle, director of Careers Scotland Highlands and Islands Enterprise said: “This project demonstrates how Careers Scotland HIE works with pupils in new and innovative ways. Here we are using the potential of new technology combined with an inspiring subject to encourage pupils to develop the life skills they need in order to become career resilient individuals.”

Karen Darke will spend 35 days crossing Greenland.

She said: “We are excited to be working with Careers Scotland, to share our experiences and learning with young people. We hope that it will motivate and inspire them towards their goals and aspirations.”

On her return, Karen will give a short presentation to the pupils about the expedition, explaining how the team dealt with travelling and living on Greenland’s ice-cap. This process is aimed at helping the pupils reflect on how they have overcome their own challenges and what they have learned about themselves. Careers Scotland advisers will then assist the pupils, looking at ways of how they can put these essential lessons and life skills into practice for the future, when planning their own careers.

The project aims to raise money for the charity ‘Interventure’ which provides and develops opportunities for disabled people to participate in adventure sports and outdoor activities. Nike ACG and eVENT are sponsoring the expedition, but the team are still seeking a main expedition sponsor for the project.

Learn more about this exciting project-within-a project

And the expedition's web pages here provide a fantastic resource for school students and their teachers.

Karen's and the team's progress - together with her communication with the pupils - can also be tracked from here as they cross Greenland.