05 Feb We've skated through the week - literally
This week we've had guests from South Korea, engaged in Japanese martial arts, explored the secrets of the rainforest - and sailed across the fjord ice. This is how it can only happen at Ranum!
You can also read on to find out how the students dressed for Fashion Week, raised money for charity and played football in the freezing cold.
Happy reading
Cultural subject Japan goes karate crazy
This week, the cultural subject Japan has been in full swing as the students took on karate. They were visited by Annemette Bach, who is a black belt in karate and has extensive experience of Japanese martial arts culture. She introduced the students to both techniques and traditions, and the students got to try out kicks, punches and the discipline behind the sport.
It's been a fun and educational week, combining theory and practice and giving students an authentic experience of how martial arts plays a central role in Japanese culture.
Students make a difference - in concrete terms
On Saturday evening, we could see the results of the students' efforts on Danmarks Indsamling on Danish Radio - and we are so proud! Before Christmas, a group of students got together to bake a large batch of cookies, which they then delivered to local businesses.
As efterskole, we engage in social projects all over the world - from our friendship schools in Nepal and a refugee school in Kuala Lumpur to working with wild animals in Namibia. What makes this project special is the students' energy, initiative and willingness to spend their free time doing something that really makes a difference to others.
Cultural encounter in the classroom: Guests from South Korea visit
On Monday we had guests from South Korea visiting Ranum Efterskole College to explore exchange opportunities and to learn more about the Danish efterskole system. During the day, they participated in South Korean cultural studies classes, where the students asked curious and reflective questions. They asked about everything from recommendations for experiences in Seoul to conversations about the low fertility rate in South Korea and performance pressures in the Korean school system. A super rewarding visit that only fuelled the students' curiosity about the country.
We have agreed to visit their school with the students in March and are very much looking forward to further collaboration.
Jungle adventure in Randers Rainforest!
The day trip to Randers Rainforest gave the students the feeling of stepping directly into the Brasilien jungle, where they got up close to the fascinating animals. This year, Brasilien has been one of the most popular cultural subjects with over 60 students choosing to immerse themselves in the country's diverse culture and nature. The vast South American country offers both vibrant cities and magnificent nature - and nature has been the focus of the students' recent lessons.
Thank you for visiting Aabenrå
We have once again attended a trade fair - this time in Southern Jutland, more specifically in Sønderjyllandshallen in Aabenrå. Although the fair did not offer a record number of visitors, it did give us plenty of time for good conversations with those of you who stopped by.
This coming weekend, 7-8 February, you can meet us at Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center from 10-16. We look forward to being on home ground in North Jutland and to meeting even more curious, future efterskole students.
See you soon!
Ranum Fashion Week
The focal point of the week has been Ranum Fashion Week - a strong and creative initiative from the school's design students. It has been a pleasure to see the many different interpretations of outfits around the school, and not least Wednesday's pink theme, where the whole school was almost buzzing with spring atmosphere.
Football match against Hanherred Efterskole
It's been a bitterly cold week, but our cool footballers didn't let that stop them. They travelled by bus to Løgstør, where they met for a showdown against Hanherred Efterskole.
The girls fought to the final whistle, but unfortunately lost 3-2. The boys, on the other hand, were in a goal-scoring mood and put the ball in the net again and again, securing a convincing 7-1 victory. Whatever the result, it was a good afternoon for everyone - and the teams returned home with red cheeks and smiles on their faces.
Fjord ice was the playground of the week for Outdoor Skills
You'd almost think we had our own ice rink at efterskolen - but it's actually parts of the Limfjord that have frozen over. The new year has started out bitterly cold, and the wind has really taken hold around the outside of the school.
Fortunately, the Outdoor Skills team are experts at making fun out of even the harshest weather conditions. This week, they utilised the wind to create momentum and whizzed across the fjord ice with sails. See just how fast they go in the videos below.
Headmaster's column
Dear reader,
February has started raw and freezing cold. Vilsted Lake is frozen solid and colourful “ice boats” glide across the ice. Even though the ground is frozen, it didn't stop the boys' and girls' teams from playing a friendly football match against Han Herred Efterskole. The boys won and the girls were only one goal away from victory.
In the midst of the harsh winter weather, most students are still smiling and happy. We've had Fashion Week with a dress code, and even though some forget it, many students and staff have joined in the fun: Black Monday, Striped Tuesday, Pink Wednesday (here the boys were somewhat challenged), Denim Thursday and 00s Friday. The game creates community while challenging individual choice: You can choose to participate or ignore the game. If you go along, you may invest a little ’street-credit“ and risk losing a bit of yourself (pink was impossible for the principal), but you can also gain a lot - both in the game and with others - by daring to show that you dare to go along.
This week we have also been pedagogically challenged in a situation where a student was aggravated by four other students through unfounded accusations. The situation shows how teenagers' self-righteousness and lack of consideration or maturity can have unpleasant consequences for others and lead to vigilantism. The students involved have been sent home for serious counselling, and the school and parents are now assessing whether there are grounds for the efterskole stay to continue. We must always remember that we work with developing young people, but at the same time we must also be the edge that sets a moral compass for behaviour and interaction.
During the week we have had visitors from South Korea and it has been fascinating to see how they reflect on our school project and reach out to us for future collaboration. We've also had visitors from the Netherlands who add extra spice to efterskole life for the students they meet, while gaining an insight into the youth culture and the school's many activities. Our European team students will be making a return visit in March, giving them a unique opportunity to experience the Netherlands and its youth culture and society.
This coming weekend, we'll be taking part in the Efterskole Fair in Aalborg on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturday, there will be a Go-card Leman, on Sunday there will be guided tours for interested families from 1 to 4 p.m., and at 3 p.m. all those interested can enjoy a choir concert in the main hall. In the coming week we will be preparing for the end-of-term exams, while a big school-wide dodgeball tournament will be organised on Thursday afternoon.
Have a great weekend
It happens:
Calendar
Crea weekend - 07.02.26 - 08.02.26
World Pulses Day - 10.02.26
Term tests - 16.02.26 - 19.02.26
Student party - 27.02.26
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
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