06 Mar A world in turmoil, student party and finally time to go
This week has been a bit more hectic for staff than usual. The situation in the Middle East has kept everyone on their toes, and students, teachers and managers have been keeping a close eye on things. At the same time, spring has sprung in earnest, and you can feel it in our spirits - more time is being spent out in the schoolyard and energy is generally high. In this week's newsletter you can also read about the student party and the many creative projects that the students are finalising before the upcoming trips.
Happy reading
The world has turned upside down
The situation in the Middle East is tense to say the least, and it's no secret that many of our students were scheduled to travel via major Middle Eastern airports such as Dubai, Doha and others. Therefore, we have been working hard all week to find alternative flight routes so that everyone can continue to arrive safely and securely at their destinations. This has required great flexibility and a number of adjustments along the way.
One of the changes means that the team that was originally travelling to the Maldives will instead spend two weeks in Zanzibar. A big thank you to the adaptable teachers who have worked hard in a short time to set up a new trip, make new contacts and develop an exciting programme for the students. We are sure it will be a fantastic trip.
Some might think that in times like these it would be best to stay at home. But the way the world is right now, we see it as an important task to maintain outlook, community and international relations. In a time of turmoil and division, the meeting of people, cultures and perspectives is more important than ever before.
In the midst of it all, we received a visit from Danmarks Radio, who did a great report on the situation. The programme naturally focused on the scale of the situation for our students and the planned trips, but it also showed once again how reflective our students are. They answer well and give a nuanced picture of the situation - with a clear understanding that what is happening in the Middle East is far greater than our own travel situation here at home.
Prefix party at full throttle
The student party went beyond expectations and many took the theme "lettering party" very seriously. Several of the students turned up in creative and beautiful costumes, all based on their initials, and a lot of time and imagination was put into the costumes. Thank you to the REC Parent Council for organising a fantastic party for the young people in a good and safe environment.
Ceramics and cookie baking
All the school's creative spaces have been busy this week. In the ceramics workshop, students have been working hard to complete their projects so that they can be ready before we leave and so that they don't dry out while we are away for the next few weeks.
In gastronomy, creativity has also been in full swing. Here, the students enjoyed baking cookies in the kitchen - and the smell quickly spread around the corridors.
Spring swimming in the sunshine
Spring is showing its best side, which made us want to take a spring dip in Rønbjerg. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky and it looked both warm and inviting. But even though the weather was nice, we had to tell the students that the water was still a lot Cold.
Nevertheless, a refreshing dip was taken and the result was laughter, goosebumps and an experience you'll never forget. A true sign of spring - and a great way to experience nature up close
See you in two weeks - now we're travelling the world
Look forward to following our many exciting journeys around the world. In the coming months, our students will be travelling to 18 different countries on almost every continent to experience new cultures, communities and adventures.
The first teams will leave on Friday and Saturday this week, beginning a period filled with experiences, learning and memories to last a lifetime. We look forward to sharing glimpses of the journeys along the way, so you can follow what the students experience around the globe.
As an extra initiative this year, we have invited 10 journalism students to join us - one on each trip. Their task will be to document the students' educational journey and hopefully help them to reflect even more deeply on the culture they are about to experience. One way they do this is by asking curious questions about the projects and tasks the students work on along the way.
At the same time, we hope that the presence of journalists with cameras can help give both students and teachers a little more peace of mind to be present in the experiences and put their phones away as much as possible. The documentation will to a greater extent go through the journalists, who can then share video and images with the students.
A big thank you to the many applicants - and especially to the 10 brave journalism students we have selected to join us on the journey.
Summer camps for all ages
If you are between 14-17 years old, this is a unique opportunity for you to socialise, develop new skills and try a lot of fun and challenging activities. It's all about community, experiences and memories for life.
New this year, we're also launching a Grandparents Camp. Here, grandparents and grandchildren can enjoy a week's stay together with good catering throughout the week, exciting excursions and fun activities for all ages.
We will visit the Limfjord Museum in Løgstør and take a historical trip to Livø. In addition, the week offers plenty of activities to enjoy together across generations.
We're looking forward to a summer filled with community and great experiences.
Headmaster's column
Dear reader,
Ranum Efterskole College's core values state that we must educate and train young people to succeed in a changing world. Last week a general election was called, this week war has broken out in the Middle East, and even the world's most powerful man, Trump, doesn't quite seem to know what the plan is. We realise that change and uncertainty are the new “normal” and that educating young people to understand the world across borders and cultural and religious differences is more important than ever.
Without enlightenment and insight, we clearly see that even the world's most powerful people can end up in chaos and war. A famous quote by Nelson Mandela reads: “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” That's why we haven't given up, but have worked hard to get our students out into the world for school visits, sustainability projects and cultural experiences that can give them insights and help build the trust that is essential for peace.
Over the next few days, 540 students and staff are travelling to around 20 countries, but the conflict in the Middle East has caused major challenges for the cultural trips that were to have stopovers there. We have therefore hastily changed the destination for the cultural programme Coral Restoration from the Maldives to Zanzibar, and the South Africa team has changed their itinerary and added an extra day to their journey. Unfortunately, the flight route for the cultural subjects to Bali is not yet finalised, but luckily both students and parents are patient and we have made an alternative plan if a safe flight route cannot be found. Naturally, the situation has attracted a lot of attention, and several media outlets have contacted the school for a story. The TV news made a report, which fortunately was not too sensationalist, because it is important to emphasise that the seriousness we experience about the trips is nothing compared to the reality that people in the Middle East are facing.
The student party went really well, and a big thank you to the many parents and adults who volunteered to help create a safe party for the young people. Now the students are more than ready to travel - the whole school is bubbling with spring and travel fever. There is room for hopes and dreams, and in a few days they will be realised when the students wake up in a foreign country and meet other young people face to face. Here they continue to work on projects they have prepared from home, including the video project “Meet the Locals”.
This year, we have also invited ten journalism students on the cultural journeys to document and reflect on the educational and learning experiences along the way. So it's not only the young people who get to “wash their eyes with new cultural impressions”, but also our own idea that it is both necessary and right to give teenagers the opportunity to experience the world, become braver and - perhaps - become the leaders of tomorrow who can take over and create more direction in the chaos we experience today.
Happy travelling to all employees and students!
Correction from last week’s column: Last week I wrote about an unpleasant incident and, in that connection, used the Danish word “forulempet.” In the English translation this was rendered as “molested,” which in this context has a far more serious meaning than was intended. The correct English word is “aggravated.” I of course apologize for the incorrect translation.
It happens:
Calendar
Cultural travelling 07.03.26 - 22.03.26
Easter holidays 02.04.26 - 06.04.26
Friends weekend 11.04.26 - 12.04.26
Songkran (Thailand) 13.04.26
Culture family day 19.04.26
Music weekend 02.05.26
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