The Exemplum Docet Society has been set up to provide academic enrichment opportunities for those who are in receipt of an academic scholarship. The society is also open to pupils who have been identified as exceeding expectations in the classroom, showing an open and committed attitude to learning. There are pupils from a range of year groups involved, and the group enjoy such events as trips and external speakers. On Wednesday 23 November, the EDS had a visit from BBS producer Ben Crichton.
The Exemplum Docet Society, named for the school motto which means ‘the example teaches’, is run by Assistant Head Academic Mr Paul Jones. Pupils who have received an academic scholarship are automatically invited to be a part of the EDS. Following a recent assessment of progress in the classroom, a number of other pupils were invited to join the EDS (read more here). With the help of Mr Adam Mallins, Mr Jones arranged for BBC producer Ben Crichton to come and speak to the EDS about career in the media, and more specifically his latest programme. Ben has just finished producing a programme called Operation Gold Rush, which sees historian Dan Snow follow in the footsteps of the 19th century’s latest great gold rush. Ben told the pupils of the thousands of fortune-seekers, who, in 1896, travelled across a frozen wilderness in north-west Canada to the Klondike in search of gold. Of the many people who made the dangerous trip, it is reported that only one in three made it. This perilous journey, and the search for gold, is the basis for Ben’s latest show. He told the EDS of the challenges that the production crew and cast ran into on the journey, including battling rapids in a carved wooden boat, scaling the sides of mountains and preparing themselves for possible grizzly bear attacks.
It was an amusing and captivating talk; the pupils were as interested in the legendary story of the original gold-seekers as they were in Ben’s somewhat-less idealised journey. Ben took questions from the audience on a variety of different topics, including production time and budget, whether or not they found any gold themselves, any future projects and other extreme conditions he’s faced as part of his career. As the first of many talks and events arranged for the Exemplum Docet Society, Mr Jones commented: ‘I was very impressed with the pupils’ participation and the calibre of questions. We’re very grateful to Ben to give up time to come and speak to us and speak so candidly about his experiences, although I hope that we never have to use his advice on escaping attack from a bear! I look forward to future speakers and visits that we will be arranging for the new year.’