Aidan Wong and Aidan Robson (Year 9) from Greenfield Community College, Newton Aycliffe tell us about their experience of coming to the Engage 2014 conference to share the “What if” project with delegates. This project was developed by Durham University and Greenfield Arts, and won the Engaging with Young People award at the NCCPE Engage Competition. With their prize money from the competition, the "What if" team produced a film about being curious...
When we were first told about the NCCPE conference, we were excited but slightly nervous at the thought of speaking in front of people we didn't know. 
However as the days came and went and the conference came closer, excitement started to overtake any fear we had. We worked hard to prepare what we were going to say in order to make our presentation interesting.
As the day of the conference arrived, we were confident we knew what we were doing and the presentation went very well. It was unusual presenting to people of an older age but it was very enjoyable and they took part and made it very welcoming. They gave us the feeling that they were very intrigued in what we were saying. All in all, it was an absolutely incredible opportunity and I would do something like it again if I had the chance.
The aim of our film and being at the conference was to strike other people's curiosity and we certainly did! I think this happened due to us leading the film project along with other young adults. This gave us the opportunity to be independent and make things happen the way we wanted rather than being instructed on what to do in the normal classroom environment. We acted, directed and produced the voice overs in the film. This gave us a range of new skills and eventually gave me and Aidan the confidence in speaking at the conference but without being curious we wouldn't have had the idea to share in the first place. The main quality this project has given us is to be adventurous and we both now realise that anything is possible; anything can happen.
For more information visit the Greenfield Arts website.
Watch the film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcoCcCVDX3M&feature=youtu.be
Were you at this session at the Engage Conference? What did you think? What makes you curious?
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