Year 11s were invited to listen to a talk by Mr Francesco Guerrera, a renowned finance and business journalist and Head of EMEA at Dow Jones Media Group. Francesco was able to give our students insight into not only his career but also the world of media and journalism, giving specific advice for our students including:

• Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
• Always be authentically yourself
• Be kind and helpful to others as you progress in your career
• There are no silly questions in journalism
• Often the simplest questions get the most detailed and interesting responses

To celebrate the Black History Month SMM Library has run across the whole school Poetry Competition inspired by Black History.

Students had an opportunity to research, dig deep and look closer into history through attending a number of Poetry Workshops. These amazing poems will be featured as part of our student library collection of poems where all members of school community will have a chance to read them. Among many wonderful works from pupils, we are pleased to announce that the following poems;

I am the black child By Deborah Lawal

I am special,

Ridicule cannot sway me.

I am strong,

Obstacles cannot stop me.

I hold my head high proudly proclaiming my uniqueness,

I hold my pace, continuing forward through diversity.

I am proud of my culture and my heritage,

I am confident that I can achieve my every goal

I am confident I can become what I want to be,

I am the black child I am 

child of God!

But We Are Still Black By Pazel Akoto

When they humiliate me in public

I am who I am.

When they say I can’t do it

I strive.

When people say I am dumb

I work.

When they tell me to give up

I stay.

They jail me for no reason

They sell me and buy me to work as slaves

They beat me and kill me because I’m tired

 

They knelt on my neck

They killed me in front of my Nephew

They shot me unarmed…

BUT WE ARE STILL

BLACK

My Black is Beautiful By Jinelle Nyako

My Black Is Beautiful

From the colour of my skin to the texture of my hair.

To the stride of my gait

To the glow of my skin.

My Black Is Beautiful 

It cannot be denied 

It will not be contained it will only be defined by me.

When I look in the mirror my soul cries out 

My Black Is Beautiful

Black Lives Matter 

How many more hearts do we need to shatter?

Before we turn the page and start a new chapter

Slavery was abolished they printed that in the news,

But the headlines we read show that is far from the truth 

Because people are still captive to the colour of their skin 

Of which none of us can choose. 

 

All are outstanding and therefore were selected as the winners of the 2020 BHM competition. 

Well done.

As part of our Enrichment programme in the Library, students attended the 2020 Greenwich Literature Quiz at Thomas Tallis School to represent SMM among other schools.

Author David Lough