PLEASE NOTE - messages are vetted / edited by the editor before publication. Personal contact details are cut out. Emails / message forms are deleted after they've been processed and an invitation to receive the occasional newsletter (UK only)has been sent. Email addresses are not saved. (The disc space used is security-wiped daily.) Anonymous / untraceable messages will be classified as of a lower priority and may not be published at all. Writers of offensive messages will be reported to their ISP.
Be safe online:- BBC - KIDSMART - GETNETWISE - UNIVERSAL MUSIC - THINK YOU KNOW?

Send YOUR message to johnarro@gmail.com or use the Messages Form.

• BISHOP EDEN'S PRIMARY SCHOOL, Inverness, Invernesshire
• FRANCIS ASKEW PRIMARY SCHOOL, Kingston upon Hull
• ST JOHN'S RC HIGH SCHOOL, Dundee
• SMITHTON PRIMARY SCHOOL, Smithton, Invernesshire
• TIMMERGREENS PRIMARY SCHOOL, Arbroath, Angus
• WEBSTER'S HIGH SCHOOL, Kirriemuir, Angus

Nov 11th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Peterhead Academy UK Rock Challenge Team for the coverage they've achieved in Saturday's "Buchan Observer" newspaper !
There's more here.
Many thanks to Vanessa at Firpark School for spotting this one ! :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Nov 9th 2012

Hi All !
Can’t wait for February and the shows at Stevenage. Twelve Hertfordshire Schools and - over the three days - five Premier Schools showcasing. It’s got to be the best we have ever had in Hertfordshire.
Good luck to all the schools taking part: Rock Challenge is an unbelievable experience, even for me on the sidelines :)
Bud Windeler (Druglink Schools Liaison Officer)
++++++++++++

Nov 5th 2012

Just popping in to post my first message of the new tour! :D
So so so very excited to still be involved with Rock Challenge - can't wait to volunteer at Bradford!!
Hope everyone's auditions/rehearsals are going well ? Really looking forward to the 2013 tour... woo!
Natasha R
++++++++++++

Nov 2nd 2012

Well ... we didn't win £100 for the Be Your Best Foundation supporting UK Rock Challenge, but "Thanks!" to those who tried ! :)
EasyFundraising actually passed the £4,000,000 mark at 19:30:35 on 31st October 2012, and the winners of the two £100 prizes up for grabs were ... in second place (35 seconds out) Keith Dawson supporting TAME Community First Responders, and in first place was Roger Verrall supporting St Mary’s Church, Banbury.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Oct 31st 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Mitchelton State High School Rock Eisteddfod Team for the coverage they achieved in Quest's "North-West News" newspaper today !
There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Oct 30th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE NEWS:
Congratulations to the Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School Rock Eisteddfod Team, featured in a behind-the-scenes documentary on Saturday, ahead of the TV Final to be aired on the GO! channel on November 10th !
There's more on this page from the "Hills News" newspaper :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Oct 25th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:

It's been a good week for the Humberside Police Lifestyle Team, for they've won a £5,000 grant from the Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund to help support Rock Challenge in their area!

The story was covered in the "Driffield Times & Post", the Pocklington Post", and the "Hull Daily Mail" newspapers.

A HUUUUGE "Thank-you !!" goes to everyone who supported the Humberside Police Lifestyle bid by voting for them on the Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund website!

John (editing)
++++++++++++

Oct 20th 2012

Once again a team of the world's best athletes will be running the Bupa Great South Run ...AND WE'LL BE RUNNING TOO!

Be Your Best Rock Challenge athletes Kat Aves, David Beal, Hannah Cook, Tim MacFarlane, Shaun Ryan (first time), Cory Sanderson, Paul Sanderson, Iain Small, Lorna Small and Richard Wallace (first time) will be tackling the world's leading 10-mile road event this October in Southsea, Hampshire. Cory Sanderson will also be running in the Mini Great South Run too, for the third consecutive year!

These gruelling runs take place on October 27th (Mini Great South Run) and 28th (the 10-mile Great South Run) and the team are already training hard to beat last year's times!

Please donate as much as you can to show your support for the team and help fund the 2013 Rock Challenge events, which change so many lives every year. Every penny helps to keep the initiative going and now, more than ever, every donation, no matter how small, is needed to help bring the initiative to as many young people, schools, and communities as possible. We raised almost £1200 last year so we'd love to get close to that mark again ... or even surpass it!

Making a donation through CharityGiving is simple. charitygiving.co.uk is operated by The Dove Trust, a charity with almost 30 years' experience of helping individuals, charities and good causes globally, so your giving is safe and secure.

CharityGiving will reclaim gift aid tax on your donation (if you are a UK taxpayer), meaning any donation is worth around 25% more. They also charge less than most other fundraising websites, so more money goes to this great cause!

Anyone who knows me will tell you that a ten mile run will be more than a push for me! Any support you are able to offer will certainly help encourage me to keep running!!

If you would like to support us, you can do so through this link..

Thanks again for your support! If you can make it down to Portsmouth on the 27th or 28th to show your support for the team please come down to the roadside and look out for our t-shirts!

Dave Beal (General Manager / Stage Manager – Be Your Best Foundation)
++++++++++++

Oct 16th 2012

Dear Rock Challenge Supporter,

I am writing to you on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Be Your Best Foundation. I'm sure you already know how much we appreciate your support, and how invaluable your feedback is to us as we strive to develop and sustain Rock Challenge (RC) throughout the UK. Indeed, it is this feedback from students, staff and supporters which is so powerful when we are seeking continuing and new support. We have often said how much we wish we could have some of you with us to speak about your RC experiences first hand.

To get as close to this as possible we have decided to compile your stories and experiences into something a little more formal – so much of what we have currently is what the staff and directors have picked up when chatting to you, or via emails about something else. But of course, we need your help for this.

We are asking that anyone who has a story to tell about their involvement in RC submit it to us and we will compile these into a booklet that we can share as appropriate. I'm suggesting no more than perhaps 200/300 words so that we can include as many as possible. To give you a couple of examples of what we're looking for:

• I know of a pupil who was rehearsing for her school performance when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour; her motivation to recover was driven by her absolute determination to be on stage with her school the following year – and she was!

• On this year's tour a student rep, who was also one of the lead performers for her school, told the audience how she had not always been a 'star pupil' and had been in quite a lot of trouble; being in RC had turned her life around, given her a real purpose.

Oct 6th 2012

Too old to be a student member of a Rock Challenge® team? Still want to be part of the Rock Challenge experience?

We always welcome volunteers to come along and embrace the unique experience of working with the crew at a Rock Challenge event, so ... the 2013 UK Rock Challenge Volunteer Application form is now available !

We'd love to see you helping out at one of our events next year: if you think you are able to, grab a form, read through all the details first and then, if you think it's do-able for you, fill it in and send it off.

Yes, it's a loooong day but it gives you an insight into what goes on behind the scenes, gets you closer to the Rock Challenge Crew, and enables you to meet other like-minded people also willing to give up some of their time to help support the proven teamwork-building, confidence-boosting, skills-enhancing, drugs-reducing, adrenaline-blasting, energy-filled inspiration that is UK Rock Challenge®.

The requirements change a little every year so DO check the details carefully before you fill in the form; there's a section on referees and - newly detailed for this year - a Rock Challenge Volunteer Accreditation Scheme that you might tick as being interested in ... if you do then you'll learn more about it :)

Prefer an MS-Word application form ? Go to www.rockchallenge.info/Volapps.docx

Prefer a pdf file ? Go to www.rockchallenge.info/Volapps.pdf

If you're going for this then Good Luck ! Hope you love it as much as we do !!

John (editing)
++++++++++++

Sept 24th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Oasis Academy Wintringham Rock Challenge Team for the long piece about their "It's Time for Africa" performance in today's online "Grimsby Telegraph" newspaper! Read the article here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Could YOU be either a UK Rock Challenge Youth Ambassador or a UK Rock Challenge Regional Representative ? To find out more, click on Regional Representative or Youth Ambassador :)
++++++++++++

Sept 18th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to Tayla Campbell of the Northmead High School Rock Eisteddfod Team for getting the "Don't text while driving!" message across in today's edition of the "The Standard" newspaper. Read the story here - watch the video that inspired the performance here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

UK LIAISON TEACHERS: REMEMBER to contact the Rock Challenge office as soon as you can (today ?!) to check that the Entry Form (Part 1) that you emailed or faxed in was actually received if you haven't already. If it wasn't for any reason, then you're still not on the entry list for your event ... go on ... call them now or email sammy or sam at rockchallenge.co.uk :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++


++++++++++++

Sept 16th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
A big fat "Congratulations!" to the Kangaroo Island Community Education Centre Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team for this piece of news coverage they got in the "The Islander" newspaper. You can read the story here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Sept 7th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Morisset High School Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (New South Wales, AU) for the piece about them in today's "Lakes Mail" newspaper! Read the report here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Sept 6th 2012

Can you do cinderella in rock challenge!
I liked buttershaw - it was good school.
My school is good at dancing, with Sally and Anne.
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Sept 3rd 2012

VOTE TO SUPPORT ROCK CHALLENGE IN HUMBERSIDE !

I sent out a message early in August that asked readers to show their support for the Humberside Police "Lifestyle" team. They have supported UK Rock Challenge every step of the way in the Hull / East Yorkshire / North Lincolnshire areas ever since they first introduced it to the North back in 1997.

The Lifestyle Team (basically that's Kate and Lisa :) have been nominated for one of two £5000 Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund awards to be given in their local area: winning this would enable them to further develop their support for the Rock Challenge events held in Bridlington, Grimsby and Hull.

It doesn't which part of Global Rock Challenge you compete in (or you don't take part in it at all), whether you're young or old: if you think that having Rock Challenge available to young people anywhere is valuable, then please please please text 'VOTE HU1' to 61119 !

DO IT NOW: voting closes at midnight on Sunday but don't wait - TEXT 'VOTE HU1' to 61119 to support Rock Challenge in Humberside ! (To avoid the cost of a mobile text, or if you are outside the UK, click here to vote online!

Thank-you :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Sept 2nd 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to everyone in the following list for having achieved coverage in their local or regional newspapers ! Here goes:

• Chifley College Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (New South Wales, AU) for this sequence of pictures in the "The Standard" (Mt. Druitt) newspaper;
• Northmead Creative Arts and Performing Arts High School Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (New South Wales, AU) for this report (plus a link to pictures) in the "Hills News" newspaper, and also this second report (plus a video :), again in the "Hills News" newspaper;
• the Overnewton College Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Keilor, Victoria, AU) for this report (plus a picture) in the "Star" newspaper !

Aug 24th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Lyndhurst Secondary College Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Cranbourne, Victoria, AU) for getting news of their performance in Melbourne's RAW division on the 9th August into today's edition of the "Cranbourne News" newspaper ! There's more here (though the photo didn't load for me).
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 23rd 2012

Congratulations to Dapto Public School (Horsley, New South Wales, AU) for yet another fantastic J-Rock performance. You guys really do rock!
Mark and Sharon
++++++++++++

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it's the day the GCSE results are published. Good Luck, everyone !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 22nd 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
A big "Well Done !" to the St Peter's Anglican Primary School J-Rock Team (Cambelltown, New South Wales, AU) for the piece they got in the "MACARTHUR Advertiser" newspaper. (St. Peter's took the "People's Choice" award in the online global competition in 2011.) You can read more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 21st 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (New South Wales, AU), for not only is there news of their "The Last Message" production (due to be performed at the Sydney Entertainment Centre on Friday) in today's edition of the "BLACKTOWN Sun" newspaper but also of their linked efforts to get young drivers in particular not to text while driving.
There's much more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 20th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
A big "Congratulations!" to the Cranebrook High School Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (New South Wales, AU) for the article they've got in the "Penrith Press" newspaper (and the great collection of "Katsu" rehearsal photos). There's more to see here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congrats to the Colyton High School Trade School Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Sydney, New South Wales, AU) for getting coverage in today's edition of the Mt. Druitt "The Standard" newspaper ! (Hope Wednesday's final rehearsal of "Ideal Family" goes well :) There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 19th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
"Well Done!" to the North Rocks Public School J-Rock Team (Sydney, New South Wales, AU) for getting news of their upcoming performance of "Sports Spectacular" at the Sydney Entertainment Centre tomorrow into today's issue of the "Parramatta Advertiser" newspaper ! Read more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 16th 2012

English, Welsh and Northern Irish Rock Challengers' A-Level results are out today: Good Luck !
Going to Uni for the first time ? Read this: Guide to Student Loans.
Opening a student bank account ? Read this: Guide to Student bank Accounts.
Going into Clearing ?
Daily Telegraph app:
Guardian: what not to say on the phone and
How to succeed at clearing
The Independent: Page of Helpful Links.
John (editing :)
++++++++++++

Aug 14th 2012

Congrats to Fairhills High School on placing Joint First (with St Columba's) on the 10th. We couldn't be prouder of you all!!!! You're amazing!!!!
Also congrats to Brunswick on placing 3rd! What a fantastic show every school put onto that stage!
Bec L (Fairhills High School, Knoxfield, Victoria, AU)
++++++++++++

Aug 12th 2012

HUGE congratulations to St Columba's for the massive effort they put in to win the 2012 Premier Division jointly with Fairhills College. So proud of all the girls. Enjoy the glory.........
Karen W (St Columba's College, Essendon, Victoria, AU)
++++++++++++

Congratulations St.Columba's College. The Global Financial Crisis is indeed a very grim tale.
Joy W
++++++++++++

Congratulations to St Columbas on your fabulous joint win in Friday's Rock Eisteddfod in Melbourne !
Jenny (St. Columba's)
++++++++++++

Aug 11th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Berwick Primary School J-Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Melbourne, Victoria, AU) for getting news of their performance of "1519 Spice Up Your Life" at the Hisense Arena on Tuesday into yesterday's edition of the "Berwick Leader" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Huge congratulations to St Columba's on their First Place in Friday's Melbourne Rock Eisteddfod Challenge!
Bill (St Columba's)
++++++++++++

Aug 9th 2012

UK Rock Challenge Event Manager Tim's comments on this year's Photo Competition: "It's been the best ever competition this year by quite some ways both in the number of entries we've received and the quality of photos!". You can see the 24 of the shortlisted photos here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Fairhills High School Rock Eisteddfod Team (Knoxfield, Melbourne, AU) for getting news of their production of "People over Profit" (tackling the issue of corporate greed) into the "KNOX WEEKLY" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 8th 2012

Congrats to all those Scottish team members who did well in their Highers, and Good Luck to all those waiting for the A2 components of their A-Level exams ! Now, before you open up a student bank account with the first-available offering, READ THIS ARTICLE from the MoneySavingExpert website ! :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

As many of us know, the Humberside Police "Lifestyle" team have supported UK Rock Challenge every step of the way in the Hull / East Yorkshire / North Lincolnshire areas ever since they first introduced it to the North back in 1997.

They've been nominated for one of two £5000 Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund awards to be given in their local area: winning this would enable them to further develop their support for their Rock Challenge events held in Bridlington, Grimsby and Hull.

Text 'VOTE HU1' to 61119 or (to avoid mobile phone charges) visit tinyurl.com/brbk59u to read what they say and to click on the 'VOTE NOW' button !

John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 3rd 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Marian College, Ararat Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Melbourne, Victoria, AU) for getting a report on their preparations into today's "The Ararat Advertiser" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Aug 1st 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congrats to the Peterhead Academy Rock Challenge Team for the smashing report they've got in today's "Buchan Observer" newspaper ! Read much more here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 30th 2012

Lochardil loved participating in Rock Challenge 2012 and it is great to see all the videos uploaded on the Global Rock Challenge website!
Looking forward to the Inverness 2013 event...
Mr. Cook (Lochardil Primary School, Inverness, Scotland)
++++++++++++

Jul 26th 2012

The videos on globalrockchallenge.com TV of 7 of the National Finals teams have been updated with the National Finals performances. Three teams (Fraserburgh, Oakmead, and Peterhead) all said they’d prefer their regional finals videos to stay on the site instead of the Nationals, so their wishes have been granted :)

If any of the other 7 teams wish to keep their regional finals videos on globalrockchallenge.com rather than their Nationals videos, that can still be arranged: please contact me using tim at rockchallenge.co.uk

Tim Macfarlane (Event Manager, UK Rock Challenge)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Freedom Road Creative Arts Group Rock Challenge Team for the report they've got in the online edition of the "Hull Daily Mail" newspaper following their win in the inaugural northern UK Rock Challenge Youth Division event in Hull's New Theatre ! You can read more here.
John (editing
++++++++++++

Jul 25th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to UK National Final Winners the Kings Langley School Rock Challenge Team for getting an item into the "Watford Observer" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the St. Patrick's College Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Launceston, Tasmania) for getting a piece about their "The Garden of Illusion" performance into yesterday's "The Examiner" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 24th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
A big "Well Done!" to the Cockermouth School Rock Challenge Team for getting their 2nd place in the UK National Final into today's edition of the "Times & Star" newspaper ! You can read more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Gladstone Park Secondary College Rock Eisteddfod Challenge Team (Melbourne, AU) for the piece in today's issue of the "HUME WEEKLY" news about their forthcoming entry called "Face Your Fears" ! There's more here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 23rd 2012

ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Kings Langley Rock Challenge Team for getting a National Final news item into the "Watford Observer" newspaper ! You can read it here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

A massive "Congratulations!" to COCKERMOUTH school for the amazing result from yesterday. It's a wonderful achievement that each and every one of you thoroughly deserves. Makes me very proud to have been involved for so many years and wish I was younger again!
Love - Sammy (ex Cockermouth pupil)
ps. Hey Emma: congrats!!!
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Ryde Academy Rock Challenge Team for getting this story about their performance in the National Final yesterday into today's edition of the "Isle of Wight County Press" newspaper !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

I'm writing this from the Isle of Harris in the Hebrides, having just seen the brilliant result on the Rock Challenge website! Sorry I wasn't able to be with you but could hear the screams from here when the results were announced!
Well done and thank-you to the cast, staff, helpers, parents and supporters - we couldn't have done this without your dedication and enthusiasm. You CAN now enjoy a well-deserved rest!
Geoff Walker (Headteacher, Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

All the "Countdown" videos can now be found from THIS page.
John (editing :)
++++++++++++

Jul 22nd 2012

TODAY'S NATIONAL FINAL RESULTS

ARBROATH HIGH SCHOOL, Arbroath, Angus: the Global Rock Challenge^TM Award for Hair Design, and the TEGA Award for Lighting Design

COCKBURN- A SPECIALIST SCHOOL IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, Leeds, West Yorkshire: the Visions Unlimited Award for Video Performance, the Think! Rock Challenge^®: Stay Alert on the Roads Award for Entertainment, and the Ansvar Insurance Performers' Choice Award

COCKERMOUTH SCHOOL, Cockermouth, Cumbria: the Janome Award for Costume Design, and overall SECOND PLACE

FRASERBURGH ACADEMY, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire: the Genesis Community Award for Soundtrack

KINGS LANGLEY SCHOOL, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire: the Think! Rock Challenge^®: Stay Alert on the Roads Award for Drama Skills, the Think! Rock Challenge^®: Stay Alert on the Roads Award for Spirit of Rock Challenge, and overall FIRST PLACE

OAKMEAD COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, Bournemouth, Dorset: the Ansvar Insurance Award for Concept Interpretation

PETERHEAD ACADEMY, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire: the Be Your Best Foundation Award for Set Design, the Be Your Best Foundation Award for Stage Crew, and overall FOURTH PLACE

RYDE ACADEMY, Ryde, Isle of Wight: the Global Rock Challenge^TM Award for Staging, the Think! Rock Challenge^®: Stay Alert on the Roads Award for Performance Skill, and overall THIRD PLACE

THE MOUNTBATTEN SCHOOL, Romsey, Hampshire: the Global Rock Challenge^TM Award for Concept Originality

THORNTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Bradford, West Yorkshire: the Sew n So Award for Make-Up Design, the Think! Rock Challenge^®: Stay Alert on the Roads Award for Choreography, and overall FIFTH PLACE
Posted up at 3.25am Monday - will check for accuracy later (ie towards midday :)
John (editing)

Jul 21st 2012

From Kings Langley School to all the schools travelling 100s of miles to the finals - YOU ROCK!! See you tomorrow :)
Katharine H (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Just about to set off to go to the National Final and would like to say Good Luck to everyone competing tomorrow: you ARE all winners.
Thanks to the Rocka Crew and Be Your Best Foundation for an AWESOME tour this year: have loved every minute of it. Bring on 2013 xxx
Karen Mackay (Rocka Volunteer from St Benedict's School, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Less than 24 hours!! Till NATIONALS 2K12 :D
GOOD LUCK to all the schools! We're all gonna be amazing!! And smash it!!
Fiona A (KLS #KLSdreamreemteam)
++++++++++++

A massive thank-you to everyone who has helped kings langley get this far. I know we can pull this off - we always do
Looking forward to seeing all the other schools and talent there is. Early start tomorrow but milton keynes, kings langley is coming!
Neve W (KLS)
++++++++++++

Jul 20th 2012

ALMOST there !!! Dan's "TWO DAYS TO GO TO THE UKRC NATIONAL FINAL" video, featuring the Arbroath High School Rock Challenge Team: "Some stories have been told so many times that their heroes and villains have passed into legend. Ultimately, the grey elements remain untold. Until now."
John (editing)
++++++++++++

See you all Sunday! Good luck, everyone (but particularly #klsdreamreemteam :)
Mrs Norris x (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Can't believe the national final has finally come! Oh wow. I'm more than sure it's gonna be an amazing show, and it makes me so proud to say I was part of rock challenge 2012! (And have loved every single second :)

But now, a massive good luck to all the schools competing in the national final, wishing you all the best. Watched all the performances and you're all beyond amazing so GOOD LUCK :D
Natasha R (Tong High School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS: Good to see tonight's Rock Eisteddfod Challenge at the Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart, Tasmania getting coverage in today's online edition of the "The Mercury" newspaper ! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 19th 2012

THREE days to go! Getting yet more exciting !
Dan's video tonight features the Cockburn School Specialist Status in the Performing Arts Rock Challenge Team.
"The sun did not shine, it was too wet to play, so we sat in the house all that cold, cold wet day..."
John (editing)
++++++++++++

I liked rock challenge: it was good fun to dance with you.
I would like to see cinderella in rock challenge !!!
I liked buttershaw - it was a good school.
My school is best. Tessa danced with me and kim. She is good at rock challenge.
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Jul 18th 2012

It's on YouTube - the "Four Days To Go" countdown video ! It highlights the performance by the Oakmead College of Technology Rock Challenge Team: "One family's choice leads to the heart-breaking loss of their young son."
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Good luck to Cockburn! You really impressed UCC at Grimsby and we all hope you do REALLY well at the national final!! xxx
BTW... the fish are AWESOME!!! xxx :D
Esther H, Bethany M, Jessica P and Mollie I x (Ullswater Community College, Penrith, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

Jul 17th 2012

FIVE days to go and Dan's countdown video is here, featuring the Kings Langley School Rock Challenge Team letting you "...see how events occur without explanation, time loses its normal sense of flow, and the impossible occurs as a matter of course :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

AHHHHHHH! 5 days! Woooooo! Love the videos rock challenge have made: so amazing!
Today we did a flashmob at our school: was so good. The whole school watched and it has set us up for Sunday!
Cannot wait to see all of the schools: everyone is going to be AMAZING! So excited!!!
Jack N (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire)
++++++++++++

So the National Final is only five days away? WOW! So excited for it all ... still can't believe this is actually all happening!
Good luck to everyone! Really looking forward to Sunday #klsdreamreemteam !
Owen H (KLS)
++++++++++++

Jul 16th 2012

Rather later in the day than yesterday and the day before (Dan blames it on the sloooow internet link at the Holiday Inn in Hull :), here's the "Six Days To Go" countdown video link, featuring the Mountbatten School Rock Challenge Team: youtu.be/iKX6L7XjDGk

"As her curiosity grows, she unites with the broken people to unveil the horrifying truth..."
John (editing)
++++++++++++

With many thanks to the Be Your Best Foundation, the results of the 2012 Evaluation Questionnaires distributed to student participants in the Junior Rock Challenge^® and the Rock Challenge^® are now available as .doc files: the results of those distributed to Team Liaison Teachers are also available.

Please click below in order to get to the one(s) you'd like to read :)

• 2012 UK Junior Rock Challenge^® Evaluation Results;
• 2012 UK Rock Challenge^® Evaluation Results;
• 2012 UK Rock Challenge^® Liaison Teacher Results

Jul 15th 2012

It's now 7 days to go and today's countdown video features the Cockermouth School Rock Challenge Team.
"Follow us as we journey with three brothers who use their magical powers to cheat death."
John (editing)
++++++++++++

One more week to go, one more week 'til nationals,
One more week 'til we get on stage and strut our stuff,
ONE MORE WEEK 'TIL NATIONALS!!!!

Hope you all like my little song ;)

Aahhhhhhh i'm just a little bit excited. Can you tell? Hope everyones rehearsals are going well? I know kl's are!
And the school travelling 1000miles ?!?!?!?! Now THAT is dedication !! Hope you have a safe journey!
Good luck to all the teams at the nationals ! Can't wait for the day! Let's go and have the best day ever!
Love - alice xxxxxxxxxxxx (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Can't believe it's only 7 days until nationals! Soo excited!!!!! Good luck to all the schools performing and their back-stage crews and also to the rock challenge team !
Let's go, cockermouth, LET'S GO!!
Steph S (Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

One week to go and I'm reminded every minute, as my kitchen is once again full of make-up and hair accessories. At some point this week we will all be covered in glitter as we make last minute preparations.
I was going to say that I'm not looking forward to the early start on Sunday but compared to most schools our journey is easy, and it's going to be great to meet the Northern and Scottish Rockas.
Sleep well this week, everyone: we'll need the energy. Good luck to everyone at MK. See you all next week!!
Mrs Norris xx (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Wow.. Well, counting the sleeps now until the nationals.. I have a very excited girlie in our house who seems fit to burst with excitement. (Oh ... okay then, so am I....!)
Cannot wait to see all the amazing schools perform. Could watch Rock Challenge every week and still be blown away by the talent and high standards. Good luck to each and every one taking part!
A special good luck to all at Kings Langley: you are truly inspirational and I'm sure you will all give a million percent with that special KLS sparkle, and show truly what 'be your best' stands for :)
Love - Mrs C xx (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

The UKRC National Final Countdown 2012 has begun over on YouTube, with a 1m 51s video featuring the Thornton Grammar School Rock Challenge Team (and here's an extract from their theme: "People don't realise just how hard it can get, To not disappoint without feeling regret").
John (editing)
++++++++++++

OMG i can't believe nationals are only 7 days away! It has gone sooo quickly!
As ever, kings langley are ready to show everyone what we've got and why we deserve to be in nationals!
We can't wait to perform and to see all the other schools: good luck to all the other schools that are there performing - can't wait to see all your performances!
Come on, kings langley! I know we can amaze everyone as we have done many times before! Wooooo!
Shannon xx (I'm counting down the days! :)
++++++++++++

Jul 13th 2012

Can't believe Moresby School has won a National Award! As this is my last Rock Challenge with the school I just want them and all the Rock Challenge Crew to know how much this means to me as I go into retirement. Well done, everyone involved. This memory will last forever.
Trish Adams (Moresby Primary School, Whitehaven, Cumbria)
++++++++++++

Thanks to Tim, I've updated the list of nominees for UK Rock Challenge National Awards 2012 with the names of the winning teams !
You'll find them here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 12th 2012

Roughly 300 emails hit me today - each a notification that yet another UK Team's 2012 Video had been added to the website at www.globalrockchallenge.com !
Not seen your particular team's performance on video yet ? Head straight on over to www.globalrockchallenge.com to do a search for them, and enjoy !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 10th 2012

I like rock challenge: it was good for dancing with sally and anne
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Jul 9th

Yaayy!! We've made it onto the list of National Award nominees!!! First time EVER!! What a fantastic year!
Congratulations to all those who have been nominated this year: such an achievement in itself!
Can't wait until Friday!! Good luck all xx
Mrs W (Henry Cort Community College, Fareham, Hampshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Hello.
Tim at UKRC HQ has sent me the full list of those teams nominated for National Awards ! You can read the full list here.
Good Luck to everyone nominated ! The results will be announced at the end of this week :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 8th

A Massive "Well Done!" to the Fraserburgh Academy Rock Challenge Team for getting a chance to go to Milton Keynes! So excited for you all.
The next 2 weeks are going to be busy busy but we all know you can do it!
Such a hard job to organise everything so quickly in such a short time, especially as most of the school is off on holiday. Great leadership skills from the S6 pupils: we are all very proud of you!
David Blackhall (Fraserburgh Academy, Aberdeenshire, Scotland)
++++++++++++

Jul 5th

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
A big "Well Done !!" to the Stanwix Primary School's Rock Challenge Team for getting an article in today's "News & Star" newspaper! There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Good Luck to all the primary schools competing today at the Sands Centre in the Junior Event ! I can't wait to see all the fabulous performances that you've been working on!
Naturally wishing Moresby Primary pupils and staff the very best of luck too: I hope you have a great time and really enjoy / enjoyed putting together your performances!
Best wishes from all the Bennies Team xxx
Karen Mackay (St Benedict's School, Whitehaven, Cumbria)
++++++++++++

I've got my countdown on: only SEVENTEEN DAYS UNTIL THE NATIONAL FINAL! So excited! Honestly cannot wait to go!
Good Luck to Peterhead! So proud of us for winning Northern Premier: it's still such a shock!
Good Luck to our fellow Scottish National Finalists, Arbroath High School!
Good Luck to our Northern Premier buddies Thornton Grammar School and Cockermouth School!
Good Luck to the lovely Northern Open school Cockburn School!
And a big Good Luck to all the Southern schools!!!
Can't wait to see everyone perform! So excited: roll on the 22nd of July! :DThank-you to the Rock Challenge crew for making this all possible - love you guys loads!
TURN IT UP! :)
Katie D (Peterhead Academy, Scotland)
++++++++++++

Jul 2nd

Oh myy ... 20 more days until national finals in MK!
Feel like my rock challenge crew is my second family at the moment! A huge "Thank-you!!" to all of our helpers who make us look fantastic, and another huge "Thank-you!!" to our 'Havs' ... we would not have got this far if is wasn't for you, miss
Good luck to all the other schools competing and see you all soon!
And finally, to all my fellow team mates ... LET'S GO, COCKERMOUTH, LET'S GO.. :D
Bryony W (Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Peterhead Academy Rock Challenge Team for the coverage they received on the STV Local News website ! There's more here.
Thanks to Emma Marshall for this find !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jul 1st

What a shame: I'll miss the National Final (flying back home to Australia on the 12th July)
Good luck to everyone !
Jodie D (ex-Thornton Grammar)
++++++++++++

Jun 29th

As a director of the Be Your Best Foundation, I am always staggered by the level of performance of all teams, both in front of and behind the scenes: huge thanks and congratulations to everyone for your commitment and for making the dreams of the BYB board become reality.
I have to add that last week in Grimsby made me so proud of the schools from Cumbria, both those who were there and those who weren't. All of you have helped to raise standards and aspirations over the years.
Moresby, UCC, West Lakes - you were all amazing - and my 15 years of involvement with RC reached an emotional peak with Cockermouth winning a very worthy place in the National Final!! Conratulations and can't wait to see you all again in Milton Keynes.
Jan Clarke (Director, Be Your Best Foundation)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Congratulations to the Howden School Rock Challenge Team for the piece about them in today's issue of the "Goole - Howden Courier" newspaper !
You can read more here (and see the "toned" photograph" :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 28th

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
There's a very nice article about the Quay Primary School UK Rock Challenge Team (first-ever Northern Junior Rock Challenge Champions) in this morning's "Bridlington Free Press" newspaper ! To read it in full (and see the photo), click here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 27th

Just received a message from Tim at Rock Challenge: Ryde Academy from the Isle of Wight has been added to the list of teams in the National Final in Milton Keynes on July 22nd.
I've updated the listing to show this on the "Tour Dates and Results" page.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 26th

Congratulations to Cockermouth School and all the Cumbrian schools for an awesome set of performances over the past week!
Thank-you to all the Rock Challenge team for making it all possible: we have just finalised our plans for Milton Keynes and are looking forward to being part of the National Finals!
Milton Keynes, here we come!
Miss Havard (Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

Just a little message to say CONGRATULATIONS to Cockermouth School for coming 2nd in the Northern Premier Final and qualifying through to the National Final in Milton Keynes!! I am sooo proud of you all and also proud that I am part of the dream team!
Can't Wait to do it all again in Milton Keynes! (I must be mad! :)
See you all soon...
Emma (Hair Design - Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
There's a very nice piece in the online version of the "Hull Daily Mail" newspaper this morning, reporting on the successes of the Primary School Rock Challenge Teams from Quay, Hornsea and Gillshill in the very first regional Junior Rock Challenge Grand Final, and also on the success achieved by the Cottingham High School Rock Challenge Team ! Read more online here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 25th

If anyone has sent in messages this evening, they've possibly been lost in the clearmymail.com anti-spam system :-(
Please re-send (I've closed my clearmymail account so it won't be getting between you and me any more :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

This year, and for the first time ever, UK Rock Challenge has held a Primary Schools Final. It was judged on the performances of the teams taking part across the three days of the Northern Senior Finals, and the results can be seen here. Enjoy !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

The list of National Finalists has just been released ! Here it is...

2012 THINK! STAY ALERT ON THE ROADS ROCK CHALLENGE® NATIONAL FINAL
PRESENTED BY THE BE YOUR BEST FOUNDATION
Milton Keynes Theatre - Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

ARBROATH HIGH SCHOOL, Arbroath, Angus
COCKERMOUTH SCHOOL, Cockermouth, Cumbria
COCKBURN- A SPECIALIST SCHOOL IN THE PERFORMING ARTS, Leeds, West Yorkshire
FINCHLEY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL, Finchley, London
KINGS LANGLEY SCHOOL, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire
OAKMEAD COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY, Bournemouth, Dorset
PETERHEAD ACADEMY, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
SOUTH DOWNS COLLEGE, Waterlooville, Hampshire
THE MOUNTBATTEN SCHOOL, Romsey, Hampshire
THORNTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Bradford, West Yorkshire

Enjoy... !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Thank you to all of the rock challenge crew for making the last 6 years of my life unforgettable. I don't know what I'd do without rock challenge: it genuinely has changed my life and has given me so many opportunities.

I cannot believe that my time as a performer has ended, but I don't want my time with rock challenge to end!! How do I go about getting involved with helping next year?!

Becki (Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School, Lincolnshire, UK)
------------
Though this is a 2012 and not 2013 form, Becki, have a look at this page on the Rocka website ... it'll give you a good idea as to what's involved :)
Old John (editing)

++++++++++++

Congratulations to West Lakes for their victory at the Northern Open Final ! Go Cumbria!
Hope your team got back safely through the floods. Took us seven hours but finally got everyone safely to their beds at 4.00am!
Trish A (Moresby Primary School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

Rock Challenge has been one of the best experiences ever: more than happy i got a chance to do it in my final year. It's been amazing working with the cast, crew and teachers: couldn't have wished for any better people to work with!

So so soooo proud that we won the SPIRIT OF ROCK CHALLENGE award !! It means a lot to us at Tong. Just getting that makes us soo happy, so to then also get 3rd place is beyond amazing!

Thank-you, rock challenge, for such a truly amazing event: i wish i could stay in school for ever if it meant i could do rock challenge every year!

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE IN THE NATIONAL FINAL! YOU ROCK IT!!

I'm gonna miss rock challenge....

Natasha (Tong High School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

A MASSIVE, HUGE WELL DONE to Ullswater, West Lakes, Cockermouth and Moresby Primary for your achievements in Grimsby. So good to see Cumbria being represented to such a high standard. Well done and look forward to seeing you all next year!
Nichola and all the team at Bennies.
(St Benedict's, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

Jun 24th

Well done to all in the rock challenge team from our school. We rocked last night and I can't wait to see if we won overall tomorrow.
Good luck to all the other primaries we are against: you were all fantastic too!
Come on, guys, we can win the first-ever Northern Primaries final !
Megz T (Hornsea Community Primary School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Yesterday's online copy of the "Nottingham Post" newspaper carries a news item about the participation by the East Bridgford St Peter's C of E Primary School UK Rock Challenge Team at the Northern Final.
It's great to get this recognition by a newspaper in an area where East Bridgford is the only school that takes part ! There's more here...
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 22nd

So ... tomorrow is the big day! Good luck to everyone competing at the northern premier final!! It's not been an easy year at KG, but we've made it and I want to thank all our amazing crew and dancers for their help.
Everyone is so excited for tomorrow and we are even more excited to be joined by the guys from St Peter's Primary in East Bridgford! We wish everyone the best of luck and hope you all enjoy the day!
From the KG choreographers (Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School, Grantham, Lincolnshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Well done to cockburn, winning again ! We did really well, and so did the all the other schools ... well done !
Enjoyed the whole day and can't wait for next year! So glad i met loads of new people.
Thanks for a great day, Rock Challenge! See you next year... :)
Megan C (Cockburn, Leeds, West Yorkshire)
++++++++++++

GO ST.PETERS!!! We rock! We did it last year so we can this year too :)
Mia F (East Bridgford St Peter's CofE Primary School, Nottinghamshire)
+++++++++++++

Good luck to all the other schools taking part in Grimsby on Saturday ... and good luck to us ! :)
Lucy C (EBStP)
+++++++++++++

Good luck to tong high school and all the other schools taking part today !
Mr Wreford (Tong High School, Bradford)
+++++++++++++

Jun 21st

Good Luck Everyone! We rock ... hope you are ready to rock too!!! :)
Year Five (East Bridgford St. Peter's Primary, Nottinghamshire)
++++++++++++

The final is here!!! And it WAS worth getting up at 4am ! Ahhhhhhhh.... :)
Good luck to all the other schools too!
Love - Ruby XXX (UCC)
++++++++++++

Up super super early and now in Grimsby for the final! Can't wait!!
Good luck to all the other schools !!
Let's go, UCC!
Shannon
++++++++++++

In grimsby now and really EXCITED!!!
Alice (UCC)
++++++++++++

On the coach to Grimsby! Good luck ucc! X
Anna S (UCC)
------------
And I'm inside - LOUD soundcheck in progress :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 20th

COME ON UCC FOR THURSDAY!
We can do this, guys. Just remember: act it, use your face, and have the best time ever! :D
If we all work together it's going to look amazing. Let's pull it out the bag!
Good luck to all the other teams competing Thursday as well !
See all of you UCC guys at 5.50am sharpish...
CAN'T WAIT :D
Alison H (UCC)
++++++++++++

I cannot control my excitement for the final tomorrow:D! Good luck to everyone else who is taking part in the Grimsby finals over the next few days! xx
Beth (St Andrews College)
++++++++++++

Good Luck to everyone involved in the Northern Finals, especially the Cumbrian teams (show them how we do it over here :)
Big shout-out to Moresby Primary School for getting to perform their piece at the final: have an amazing time, guys xxx
Mrs Mackay (St Benedict's School, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Great to see that the Little Flower Girls' School Rock Challenge Team have received coverage in today's "Belfast Telegraph" newspaper of their upcoming appearance in the Northern Finals !
There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Wow! Grimsby on Saturday! We are so excited to be going and over the moon that we got the chance! Good luck to everyone there: we can't wait to meet you and see your performances.

Special good luck to the school that inspired us to do Rock Challenge in the first place - KGGS (Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School) who have had a rocky road this year with putting on Rock Challenge but ... thanks to Mrs Clayton, Mr Smith, Maddie's amazing Mum and Dad, Becky, Chloe, Maddie and the other inspired choroegraphers and dedicated staff and fantastically brilliant girls who work so hard ... IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN! You all embody the spirit of Rock Challenge and make our team feel good by your unfailing enthusiasm and support.

Here's to the St. Peter's team - well done, enjoy yourselves and BE YOUR BEST, EAST BRIDGFORD ST. PETER'S CREW !!
Julie M (EBSP C of E Primary School, Nottinghamshire, UK)
ps John, we are looking forward to the big hug!
pps Wendy, you get a free hug too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
++++++++++++

I really enjoyed rock challenge! This is my first year and it was really great! We may have not got a placing but we really tried and it was a great experience! I came away from rock challenge with new friends, more self-belief, and a smile!! I WILL be participating next year!!!!
Cara (Crickhowell High School, Powys, Wales)
++++++++++++

About a day now, girls! Good luck - hope all goes well on the night (just like in rehearsals xxxxx :);) xx
Buddy (Emily) xxxx (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

UCC go to the Northern Final in just 22 hours' time !!
Can't wait to go to Grimsby: it's getting up at 5:30 that scares me! Came back from rehearsals yesterday and was absolutely dead!
FACE EXPRESSIONS, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS!
CAN'T WAIT: SEE YOU ALL THERE!
Mel L (UCC)
++++++++++++

Go UCC!! We're gonna do amazing!!
We are all so excited ! Woooooo!!! :D
Good luck to all the other schools there at Grimsby !!
Look out for us lot!! WE ARE UCC SAY WE ARE UCC!! xxx
Hulmeeeee :) (UCC)
++++++++++++

Jun 19th

Come on UCC! We can do this!! xxxx
Sophiaaa :) (UCC)
++++++++++++

Good luck to all the teams at Grimsby !!
We can do this, UCC ! xxxx do not go pass ---> xxxx
Josie (UCC)
++++++++++++

Just like to wish everyone competing at Grimsby on the 21st of June good luck !!
We can do this, UCC!...<3
Kayleigh (UCC)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Great to see Howden School Rock Challenge Team's upcoming appearance at the Northern Finals featured in the "GOOLE - HOWDEN Courier" newspaper this morning ! Read more here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Jun 16th

I would like to do cinderella in rockchallenge!!!
I liked buttershaw's: it was good.
My friend Tessa is good at dancing with me, and sally is good at costumes in rock challenge.
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Wow, standard at the Scottish Finals was top notch!
Firstly, i'm so proud to have gotten to showcase at the first ever Scottish Final, which has made me even more excited for Northern Premier Finals (NEXT WEEK! AHHHH! EXCITING)!
Secondly, huge well done to our wee buddy school Arbroath High School for winning and qualifying for the Nationals (so proud of you all!) and the other schools from the Arbroath heat - Arbroath, Forfar and Kinross (Kinross, your choreography was amazing! Loved your tappers!)
Thirdly, well done to all the schools from the fabulous Aberdeen Heats who were at the Scottish Finals: Fraserburgh, Kemnay, Mackie and Westhill! Very proud of you all as well!
Finally, well done to all the Inverness schools: such a MASSIVE improvement from your first time that we came to watch last year!
Was great to see all my friends again, and it's awesome to see the competition growing up here in scotland - here's to the Scottish Finals 2013!
Good Luck to all the schools - especially Peterhead - at the Northern Prems in Grimsby next week! Gotta love Rock Challenge!
Katie D (Peterhead Academy, Scotland)
++++++++++++

OMG so excited ! We're gonna kick grimsby but higher than ever ... we can do this ! Wooooo !!
We are ucc, say we are ucc ! Let's do this thing !
Good luck to everyone else, but go ucc !! :)
Becca and Lauren (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

Alan Strachan, nice hearing from you ! The Broch did you proud.
Great first Scottish final. Arbroath High were superb, led by Lorna Small ... ex-Peterhead. (It's a small world ! :)
Vanessa Geib (Firpark)
++++++++++++

Jun 15th

Just watched Ryde's performance from the southern premier final and one word springs to mind: WOW! Anyone here that is part of Ryde's Rock Challenge cast or crew, I thought you were absolutely amazing! Faultless performance with so much energy: loved it a lot. WELL DONE!! Be very very very very very very proud of the performance that you gave! AMAZING!
Cannot wait until nationals: it was the last thing on our mind, but now we are there!!!!! AHHHHH!!!!! I'm so excited - will see all the northern schools! Never seen them before! Can't wait ... wooo!
Jack N (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Go UCC! Let's show Grimsby what we can do!
So proud of you all for getting this far.
Love - Reardon x (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

Jun 14th

ONE WEEK UNTIL GRIMSBY! Rehearsals are in full swing!
Can't wait: go UCC
:-):-) !!do not pass go!! (-:(-:
Shannon (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

Hope you had fun in Dundee, guys! My sister lives up there and it's a place I love.
Can't wait to meet the Scottish winners at the Nationals !
Mrs N (klsdreamreemteam - Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Jun 13th

Good luck to all of the teams in the Scottish Final! All of the teams we've seen look so fantastic and everyone has been really supportive and lovely! Thanks! X
Team Kinross (Scotland)
++++++++++++

Go the BROCH (Fraserburgh) Academy. Miss you all, wish I was there with you.
Good Luck for tonight. All the Broch are rooting for you.
Alan Strachan
++++++++++++

Jun 12th

Can't wait for grimsby in 9 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good luck to everyone !!
"Let's go, Little Flower"
Caroline McM (Little Flower Girls' School, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Jun 11th

I had such a great time at the Southern Finals volunteering for the first time! Well done to all the schools who performed and thank-you to all the crew and other volunteers for making me feel welcome! A brilliant experience: can't wait to volunteer again soon! :D
Paul B (ex Cowes High School, Isle of Wight, UK)
++++++++++++

Jun 10th, 9th and 8th 2012 (In no particular order...)

Well done to all the schools on our night - you were all absolutely amazing!
A quick well done and commiserations to Bridgemary because I thought you were amazing and you should have won hands down! Don't be disappointed: you did yourselves proud as always! You're amazingly talented people and I will never forget your performance!!!
Buzzing for nationals now - wooooo! #klsdreamteemteam
Chloe G (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Well done to mountbatten school on Saturday: they were AMAZING ! Also loved Finchley school: I thought their dance was phenomenal !!!!!!!!!!
So proud of my school!! BRING ON NEXT YEAR x
Kiera D (Durrington High School, Worthing, West Sussex, UK)
++++++++++++

AHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!! We made the NATIONALS!!!!!!
Well done, kings ! Everyone was truly amazing and put everything they had into it!
Bring on the nationals #klsdreamreemteam xox
Amy W (KLS)
++++++++++++

We had laughs and tears last night at the Premiership Finals in Portsmouth , everyone deserved to be in the Premiership and were all amazing on that stage.
Congratulations to the schools that placed, and good luck at Nationals!
From Ellie P and Totton College! (Hampshire, UK)
++++++++++++

What an amazing Premier final yesterday ! The schools were all amazing, and we (Kings Langley School) got 2nd and a placement in the NATIONAL FINALS!!!!! We have came so far and I am so proud of each and every single one of us.
So excited for the nationals ... wooooooaaaahhhh!!!!!!
Owen H (KLS)
++++++++++++

This is my last message as a competitor - couldn't resist posting one more.
To Dolan, the teachers, dance and drama captains, choreographers, the amazing cast and crew at the fabulous Kings Langley school, and to Rock Challenge UK, thank you for making the last seven years so fantastic! It's been so fun working with you all: you've given me so many laughs, and I'm still amazed at how talented you all are and how great the standard of dance is at our school!
Good luck to everyone competing in portsmouth, especially the new schools!
Kings, let's raise the roof like only we can: we always put in our all, now let's really shine!!!
Lalika J of The Amazingly Talented Kings Langley School!
++++++++++++

Wow! What an event Thursday's final was!! So proud to have been part of it.
So lovely to see so much talent on and off the stage ... ALL the performances were such a high standard.
Congratulations have to go to Sir Henry Floyd ... worthy winners ... but my biggest congratulations to Henry Cort.......you did yourselves (and me) proud!
Also, lovely to see John in the flesh (although didn't get a chance to speak to you!) Have been able, after all this time, to put a face to your name!
Hope all the other finals go well!
Mrs Warner (Henry Cort Community College, Fareham, Hampshire, UK)
------------
Hello Mrs W ! Finals days in particular are SO busy, aren't they ! Maybe next year ???
John (editing :)
++++++++++++

What can I say? A ton of hairspray, lots of pinning and fixing and way too much make-up! Then performing was such an adrenaline rush: it was literally amazing, everything went so well! Getting to go on stage to collect the awards was fantastic, and we won best costumes and overall Second place!!!
Well done to all the other schools, and thank-you to everyone that's been a part of KLS Rocka 2012! We did it for Dolan, and we did so well!!! BRING ON NATIONALS!
Lalika J (KLS)
++++++++++++

OMG..... Was at the UK ROCK CHALLENGE FINALS in Portsmouth last night and i had such a great day.
Want to say thanks to Miss Mawson for everything !
Can't wait till next year as we didn't get through to the finals... :)
Well done to all of those schools who performed last night and a big well done to Oakmead who won ;P xxx
Shania F (The Grange School, Christchurch, Dorset)
++++++++++++

Good Luck Mountbatten - have a great day tomorrow!
Dawn B (Mountbatten School, Romsey, Hampshire)
++++++++++++

Feeling a bit emotional now, so goodness knows what I'll be like tomorrow! Whatever happens, we're all stars and deserve to have a great day, so everyone put 110% in...and ENJOY!!!!
Zoe F (KLS)
++++++++++++

Well done SHFGS....We're premier now!!!
Thank-you to all the teachers and students that made it so memorable!
Lauren x (Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK)
++++++++++++

So so excited - it was amazing last year to see all of the effort that every school had put in.
Looking forward to a fantastic evening in Portsmouth tonight. Good luck everyone but 'break a leg' Kings Langley - always making us so very proud with your spirit and hard work !!!!!
Nikki W (KLS)
++++++++++++

Counting down the hours till rock challenge tomorrow! So excited !
Can't wait to see what the other schools have to bring. From what everyone has said, it's going to be AMAZING!
Couldn't have done it without all the help from our fabulous teachers, helpers and all of the rock challenge crew (and that includes you, John ;)
Good luck to everyone, and let it be a great day.
C'mon Kings !
Bella and Chloe (KLS)
++++++++++++

Night night everyone; only 1 more sleep! Time for bed now.
EEEkkkkkks, not that I'm going to be able to sleep. Far too excited for that!
Let's have a day to remember tomorrow! Good Luck Everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alice N (KLS)
++++++++++++

Jun 10th 2012

HUUUGE apologies to everyone for the lack of any messages on here during the last 3 days ... they've been a totally great 3 days but each has also been an 8am to midnight day in the Portsmouth Guildhall with the Southern Finals with little-enough time in which to stop and think, and a poor "3" network connection on the laptop dongle anyway.

HUUUGE congratulations to everyone who attended the Southerns - us two old wrinklies (me at stage left and Wendy on merchandise) thought you were simply stunning - improved performances yet again - and the Prem teams in particular were incredibly supportive of the others during rehearsals: you're stars :)

Great backstage crews, and what a joy (to me, anyway - must be a masochist :) to see the sets getting much bigger ! More stuff - great !

Great to see so many familiar faces among the teams! A fond "Farewell" to all the teachers moving on in their careers and to all the team members now too old to take part any more: may all your lives be happy and fulfilling ... and try to keep the Rock Challenge Spirit alive and well, eh ?

Normal service should be restored tomorrow...
Stage-left OAP John, editing from a Free WiFi Moto services northbound on the M1 in Nottinghamshire
++++++++++++

Jun 7th 2012

I am unbelievably excited, knowing that we will all pull together to make Saturday such a good day !
We all know this is a special one, kings: good luck to everyone #klsdreamreemteam xxxx
Neve W (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++
House covered in glitter and paint, fingers sore from sewing, spray painting and glueing. Yep, Rock Challenge on Saturday.
I'm looking forward to seeing what glitter and sparkle the other schools have but I know that #klsdreamreemteam can glitter and sparkle in the extreme.
See you there!
Mrs Norris (KLS)
++++++++++++

EEEEEKKKKKK!!!! #Buzzin for Saturday!!! Not too sure about the early start but because it's ROCK CHALLENGE: IT'S 100% WORTH IT!
Just watched some of the videos and WOW but the standards are high !!! Going to be a tough competition - feel sorry for the judges!Wish everyone the best of luck and can't wait to see all the other schools!!
Fiona A (KLS #klsdreamreemteam)
++++++++++++

AAAGHH !!! TWO DAYS ... nervous but I actually can't wait!! Good luck to the schools ! See ya there xD
Thanks, Ms Dolan - couldn't do it without you:)
C'mon KINGS ! :)
Dorothy H (KLS)
++++++++++++
Come on Kings Langley! It's so sad that this year will be my last but I know that we can make Dolan proud and I wish the best for every other school too! xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Shauna M (KLS)
++++++++++++
This is our time Kings! Let's DOMINATE the competition!
Omid C (KLS)
++++++++++++
I can't believe how quickly rock challenge has come around! I am SO excited to see all the schools perform and I can't wait to show all the other schools why kings langley are premier league!
Come on kings! This is Dolan's last year and we really really need to win this for her as well as ourselves! The amount of effort we have to put into the performance has to be unreal! We have worked on this performance SO much, it would be a shame not to get placed or even win! (It would be such an amazing achievement to win, and everyone would be sooooo proud!)
I know we can do this: let's prove to everyone why we are premier league and why we deserve this. We have one more rehearsal to practise and that is it! I hope everyone is excited just as much as i am!
Thank-you to all the teachers and helpers that have helped kings langley put this amazing rock challenge performance together. We couldn't have done it without you!
Good luck to all the other schools performing. You'd better watch out as kings langley are going to rock the stage! #klsdreamreemteam ... wooooo.
Love - shannon xxxxxxxx (KLS)
++++++++++++
The final preparations are under way at Kings Langley and the nerves are definitely starting to settle in! TWO MORE SLEEPS until we get to perform on that stage - i'm getting so excited!
Come on Kings, let's make Dolan proud! You've all been working so hard and I'm so proud of what we've put together this year - it looks AMAZING.
Good luck to everyone else; I'm sure you've all been working as hard as us! See you on Saturday, Rock Challenge Team and let's raise the roof, Kings Langley!
Charlotte N (KLS)
++++++++++++

OK ... well, where do i start? IAMSOEXCITED! I am so looking forward to Rock Challenge 2012!
A very big good luck to all the other amazing schools that are competing against us! You will be great! I eat, sleep and breath Rock Challenge :)
Come on Kings Langley ! Let's raise the roof, make this year the best year running and make Dolan proud, guys!#klsdreamreemteam
Lauren G (KLS) xxxxxxxx
++++++++++++

Jun 6th 2012

Our kitchen is not a kitchen. It's a room of rock challenge madness. Costumes, make-up, ballet shoes ... boxes of the stuff ! I had to eat my breakfast off a box this morning...
Mum's managed to burn her hand from an aerosol can whilst glitter spraying a costume. We've had baby ballet shoes delivered instead of adult sizes. This could only mean one thing really.... ROCK CHALLENGE IS ON SATURDAY!!!!
I'm a little bit excited. OK, I'm more than a bit excited! I'm soooooo excited! Good Luck to all the other schools but most of all...
come on #klsdreamreemteam ! Let's make Dolan proud! xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx
Alice N (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Been in Paris for the past few days. Have come back and realised ... IT'S ON SATURDAY!!!! (Editor: Keep up, Jack ;-)
Can't wait: I am so excited you don't even understand!
Good luck to everyone performing! :)
Jack N (Kings Langley School - #klsdreamreemteam, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Very excited to be volunteering for the first time tomorrow! So pleased I get to continue with Rock Challenge: back at the Portsmouth Southern Finals and it's going to be awesome! :D
Paul B (ex Cowes High School, Isle of Wight, UK)
++++++++++++

C'mon kings - let's go and do miss dolan proud!!
Zoe McC (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Wishing everyone from all of the schools involved with rock challenge all the luck in the world for Saturday!
Team KLS: do us proud. Such commitment and passion deserves more than any praise I could give! I'm already proud: now go out there and give it everything.
#klsdreamreemteam giving Dolan a memorable send off :)
Ian P (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Wooooo! Come on, Kings Langley, I can't wait till we get on that stage and give it all we got !!
However, even though we can't wait to hit the stage I still can't wait to see what the other schools have got for us to see!!!!!
Come on, KLS!!!! xxxxxx
Louise C (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Jun 5th 2012

Come on kings langley... we can do it! Let's do miss dolan proud!
Melissab x (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

GOOD LUCK to all the schools from all the kings crew !!!!!!!!!!
++++++++++++

We have our own hash tag, we've got a Dolan: c'mon, kings, we can do it. Good luck to everyone!!!!
++++++++++++

Jun 4th 2012

WooOOoO!! Come on kings - ONLY FIVE DAYS LEFT till we hit the stage!
Looking forward to seeing what all the other schools have to give ... good luck to everyone!!
Aahhhh ... come on kings xoxo
Amy W (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Only five more days to go: cannot wait! I know we're going to do so well.
Rock Challenge is definitely one of the most amazing events of the year for me. I can't wait to see what the other schools have to show: good luck to everyone!
Owen H (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Jun 3rd 2012

Good luck to all the other schools competing. We hope you're all having as much fun as us :D
Chloe and Chelsea (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Woo; go Barnwell! So proud of us all for making the final in Portsmouth! 5 days and we'll be on the coach heading for Guilford!! Go us!
Georgia S (Barnwell Business and Enterprise School, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

A MASSIVE good luck to all the schools performing in southern finals A from all at YIA!
Tazmin x (Yate International Academy, South Gloucestershire, UK)
++++++++++++

Absolutely buzzing for portsmouth in 7 days!!! Very special year, kings, and we know we can do it!
Looking forward to seeing all the other schools too!
C'mon Kings!!!!!
George C (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Sooo excited for rock challenge, 6 DAYS TO GO.
Can't wait to see all the schools competing! I'm sure everyone's performances will be incredible.
Kings Langley have been rehearsing lots: looking forward to seeing everyone !
Casey (Kings Langley)
+++++++++++

Jun 2nd 2012

A WEEK TODAY, EVERYONE! So excited: can't wait to get on that stage and see all the Rock Challenge team!
Good luck to all the schools competing: I'm sure all the performances will be amazing. Kings Langley are rehearsing non-stop and we can't wait to see you all there.
So proud of everyone at Kings and how hard they're working; it's been amazing and I can't wait to see all that hard work come together on stage on Saturday!
Let's raise the roof!
Charlotte N (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

This time next week we'll be in the Guildhall, Portsmouth !! Everyone is so so excited for this, and I personally cannot wait to be there!
Wishing all the luck to all the other schools performing on the 9th! See you in a week! x
Becki (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Jun 1st 2012

WOW! Can't believe it's just under a week now until the Open Finals @ Portsmouth.
Just wanted to say good luck to all the other schools taking part on the 7th. We (and I have to admit me especially!) are VERY excited.
Well done to the team for all the rehearsals, especially those taking exams too xx I'm soooooooooooooooo VERY PROUD of you all xx
Today's performance was ace and looking forward to seeing you 'rock it' on Thursday xx
Mrs W xx (Henry Cort Community College, Fareham, Hampshire, UK)
++++++++++++

BUZZING for portsmouth next Saturday!! Good luck everyone !!
Olivia (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Congratulations to West Lakes Academy for reaching Grimsby! We hope to see you there on 22nd June :)
Trish Adams and all the team at Moresby Primary School, Whitehaven, Cumbria
++++++++++++

I know I'm only on the edge of rehearsals but I want to tell you how brilliant I think you all are. Every year your passion and commitment amazes me and this year is no different. You are a truly inspirational team and I will miss you. As news breaks you'll find out this is my last year but I will never forget the past five years and your journey to premiere league. Stay true to yourselves and in the words of Dolan "let's bring this!"
Shippy - #klsdreamreemteam (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

So excited I can't even explain. This year is so important to all the kings crew and will be very emotional. Let's let Dolan go out with a bang and show her how much she's helped us. We all know Rocka is in our hearts and we love it! Let's show everyone what we're there for!!
Good luck to all the schools and I'm sure on the day the audience will love the show: all the schools pull together so good luck everyone, and kings - we rock!!
++++++++++++

Wooo ... getting so close now!
Love rehearsals at the moment: all pulling together #klsdreemreemteam
Special one this year, kings, but we can do it! Rocka 2012<3
Neve W (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Good luck kings Langley! Can't wait to see you all smash it!!
SO EXCITED!!
Leanne C (Kings Langley School - #klsdreamreemteam - Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Can't believe it's a week on saturday until we perform: it's gone so quick this year!
SOOO incredibly excited to perform with #KLSDREAMREEMTEAM but obviously buzzing to see other schools perform too, and looking forward to seeing all the rock challenge crew!
Good luck to all the schools!
Special year this year, Kings: let's bring it! xxxxxx
Charlotte R (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Kings Langley students are doing what they do best - giving it their all when it's most needed.
It's not been the easiest week with very hot rehearsals etc but the last rehearsal was incredible.
I can't wait to see the other schools in Portsmouth (and of course the Rocka crew too! Bring it on!
Mrs N (#klsdreamreemteam - Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

COME ON KINGS - ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS LEFT ! LET'S BE HOPING EVERY ONE HAS BEEN WORKING SUPER HARD!
ROCK CHALLENGE 2012 !!
Rebeca (Kings Langley)<br>++++++++++++

May 31st 2012

Oh my days... I am sitting here supposed to be doing homework but i can't at the moment because i'm too excited ! (I AM gonna get it done, though :)
It really isn't long until the final ! Cannot wait to see all the other schools' performances. I have been a rock challenge nerd and looked at everyones previous performances to see what our competition is like (and it is tough!) but kings, we CAN do it :)
#klsdreamreemteam (we even have got own hash tag :)
GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!!
Jack N (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Ahhh... Just over a week!
#klsdreamreemteam we can do it :D xoxox
Jade Y (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

So excited for rock challenge in Portsmouth next Saturday! Good luck everyone !!
#klsdreamreemteam
++++++++++++

So Excited for this year's rock challenge! Can't wait!
Good luck to all the other schools too!
Matt M (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

WOOOOO!!! 8 more sleeps until we hit the portsmouth stage!
Soo excited to see the amazing ROCKA CREW (and the famous almighty John Arrowsmith!!)
Going to be a tough competition this year ... Can't wait to see all the schools ... everyone's going to be AMAZING! Wish all the teams the best of luck!
Fiona A (Kings Langley #KLSDreamTeam)
------------
Hahahahahaaa !!! Love it, Fiona, even though I don't believe it for a minute :)
Going to be great seeing all you guys again !!! See you soon :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

C'mon kings!
Good luck, kings, and all the other schools !
Can't wait... ROCCA 2012<3<3
Dorothy (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

C'mon kings langley, buzzing for Portsmouth!
Such a good rehearsal today ... we've got this, guys !
Can't wait to see the other performances x
Neve W (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

On behalf of the whole Rock Challenge team here, we are SO looking forward to Thursday (and are indeed frantic with rehearsals! :)
Looking forward to seeing you all at the Guildhall! x
S. Slator (Drama Teacher and Subject Leader for Dance, St. Paul's Catholic College, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, UK)
++++++++++++

Hi, John!
Just to let you know that Graham the caretaker (who always posts on the rock challenge day) won't be sending a good luck message to us this time as he's part of our backstage team!!!! Wooooohooooo!! How cool is that ?!!
Gem (Team KLS) X (Kings Langley)
ps Hope you are well? Can't wait to see you at premier finals.
------------
Well, I'm sorry, Gemma, but this is simply not good enough !! You tell young Graham that I shall be seeking him out at the Guildhall and demanding a message !!!
Heh heh ... will be great to see him and yes, I will be there, unlike Portsmouth Rock Challenge week earlier this year which I had to miss because of "putting my back out" (or whatever it's called) the weekend before it started :-/
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Woo Hoo.... Well done to Moresby Primary School on getting picked to go to the Northern Open Final ! They're the only Primary Team to be there from the Cumbrian Schools.
Good Luck, Moresby, & knock 'em dead xxx
Mrs Mackay (St Benedict's School, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

May 30th 2012

Getting so excited now! Love watching everyone else's performances and love performing with my school: KINGS LANGLEY!
Can't wait ... not long now :D xoxo
Jade Y (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 29th 2012

I am happy for rock challenge !!!
I like buttershaw: it was good performance.
My school is good.
My friend is Tessa: she is good at dancing with me and kim.
We came 3rd in our rock challenge.
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Morning all!
Having just received the premier themes for next week it has made me a little bit excited ... OK a BIG BIT excited!!
This year is such a special one for me and my emotions are all over the place, seeing as it's my last one. Kings, you are such a special bunch and have come so far over the years. I love how ex students come back to see us and how you all work together to produce a truly student-led production. I am so very proud of you all in rehearsal, and I know that will continue on the day and beyond. I shall leave KLS on a high!
#klsdreamreemteam - RAISE THE ROOF!!
Miss D xxx (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

C'mon kings! We CAN do this! I know we think it's impossible and it seems like a huge massive mountain to overcome but we CAN do it!
I love every single one of you with all my heart: you all make rock challenge so special. It's a special year this year; do let's all pull together, work hard in this heat in rehearsals and knock EVERYONE'S SOCKS OFF! We are ready, kings!
PS: good luck to all the amazing schools on our night - I bet you'll be amazing!
Chloe G xox (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 28th 2012

Just over 3 weeks until Little Flower leave Belfast and head to the finals in Grimsby for the first time! Everybody's starting to get real excited !
Cathy (Little Flower Girls' School, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Only 12 more days and counting until we hit the premier league for the second year running, Kings ! So excited: literally cannot wait.
Come on, Kings: you know we can do it
#klsdreamreemteam woo!!!
Owen H (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 26th 2012

Good Luck to the Montrose Academy UK Rock Challenge Team: they're performing their 2012 routine once again, this time at 2.45pm tomorrow (Sunday) in the Montrose Town Hall as part of the Youth Festival section of MoFest 2012 !
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Wishing everyone at Kings a fabulous 2012 RC. You all work soo so incredibly hard and I admire just how much you all dedicate to Rock Challenge.
Very very proud to be a Rock Challenge mum. Be rooting for you all and can't wait !Mrs C (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 25th 2012

Come on Kings!!! Portsmouth: it's only just around the corner now... Ekk!!
Everyone is so proud of us so let's do them proud :D
Love you all #klsdreamreemteam xxxxxxxx
Shauna McM (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 24th 2012

Not long to go, KLS! As the temperature outside goes up. so does the heat in rehearsals !!
Keep doing us proud, KINGS: let's make every smile as big as our set :)
Miss Smith x (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Can't wait to come and watch you guys, kings!
It's gonna be so weird sitting in the audience!
I just know you're gonna rock it and I'm so excited to see it! Good luck <3 xxx
Lauren (ex Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

May 22nd 2012

A big "Congratulations!" to the St. Columba's College Rock Eisteddfod Team (Essendon, Victoria, Australia) on the press coverage they've got in today's issue of the "Moonee Valley Weekly" newspaper about their return to the competition. There's more here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

May 21st 2012

If YOU believe that taking part in UK Rock Challenge "helps to unlock the potential of young people" then do support the St Benedict's Rock Challenge Team in Whitehaven to help get them some much-needed local financial support for next year.
You can do that by going here and clicking on the VOTE NOW button above the Bennies team photo.
Voting runs from now until midnight on September the 9th so you've plenty of time, but ... do it now ? Before you forget ? :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

May 18th 2012

The Millom School UK Rock Challenge Team have been in the press again, this time in yesterday evening's "NORTH-WEST Evening Mail" newspaper ! You can read the article (and see 3 photos) here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Thanks to Dan at UKRC HQ, I've now been able to list all the Open A and Open B finalists on the 2012 UK Rock Challenge "Tour Dates and Results" pages. Good Luck, everyone - we'll see you all there ! :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

May 15th 2012

Looking forward to the final in grimsby in a month's time ... good luck to all the schools involved !
Liam H (Cockburn School, Leeds, UK)
++++++++++++

May 14th 2012

Well done UCC: brilliant achievement - you all worked so hard!
Good luck at the next stage...
Janet (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

I am happy for our rock challenge !!!! Tessa is good at dance. Sally is good at our costumes for rock challenge.
I liked buttershaw's: it was good.
Michael (Southfield School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

May 13th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Great to see that the West Lakes Academy Rock Challenge Team got coverage in this online page of the "The Whitehaven News" newspaper (plus there are mentions of Millom and St Benedict's too :)
Further, there's a selection of photos on this page of the "Cumberland News".
Big "Thanks!" to Karen Mackay for finding this coverage :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

May 11th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Well done to the Howden School Rock Challenge Team for the report they've achieved in the "Selby Times" newspaper !
There's more on-line here.
John (editing)
++++++++++++

May 9th 2012

Well done kings! So proud of every single one of us! Everyone I know is rooting for us so let's not let em down, eh? ;)
So much hard work has gone into this year's Rock Challenge 2012: come on, kings, let's ROCK IT (like we always do)
#KLS <3
Lauren G (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

One month today!!! That's all I have to say :)
Mrs N x (Kings Langley)
++++++++++++

Well done, UCC - we were great :)
Are we ready for grimsby? Yes we are!
Come on, girls.
xxxxbuddyxxxx (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

May 8th 2012

Well done to all the children who took part in UK Rock Challenge from Paull Primary! They all did fantastically well and I am extremely proud of them.
We are only a small school and so this was a fantastic opportunity for the children. Many thanks to everybody who helped us!
Also a huge well done to all of the other schools who have taken part!
Miss England (Class Teacher - Paull Primary School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Good luck to all the Nelsonians next Tuesday! I know we'll do really well!!!
(Nelson, South Island, New Zealand)
++++++++++++

May 6th 2012

Well done to everyone who entered the carlisle rock challenge!
UCC got 2nd place: bring on the finals! None of us expected this :)
Rebecca xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (UCC)
++++++++++++

May 5th 2012

Well Done UCC on 2nd place yesterday and well done all the other teams who took part in Carlisle! You were all amazing! :D
Won a place in the final: so proud of everyone who was involved!
Thanks, Rock Challenge, for an amazing day :D xxx
Alison (UCC)
++++++++++++

Well done to Paull Primary! It was a really fun day and hope to do Rock Challenge again next year.
A very big thanks to Mrs Hayton and Miss Enland for putting the dance together, and another thanks to all the staff and volunteers that helped with the costumes and hair. WELL DONE PAULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Evie (Paull Primary)
++++++++++++

Well done to everyone who competed at Carlisle! We all did really well!!
UCC in the final - woohoo!!!
Rosie (UCC)
++++++++++++

Had a fantastic time at Rock Challenge yesterday.It was great to have taken part and well done to everyone who was part of it!
Looking forward to the next performance now!
Lauren (UCC)
++++++++++++

Well done ucc! We did so well !
I'm so proud to be a student at ucc: you guys did absolutely A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
Sophiaaaa xxxx (UCC :)
++++++++++++

Well done to all the girls from UCC!! We were AMAZING...ahahahah (you should've seen Mrs Reardon's face!!! :)
BRING ON THE FINALS...WE ARE GONNA DO AMAZING!!!
Well done to ALL the other schools who took part: we enjoyed watching all your performances!! xoxoxox
Esther H (UCC)
++++++++++++

May 4th 2012

Had such a fantastic day at The Sands!
So so so proud of my team: overall 2nd and won a place in the final! Bring it on! Whoo :-):-)
Shannon (UCC)
++++++++++++

Well done to UCC!!! Placed Second!! I think we all were shocked!!
The other schools were so good!! WELL DONE TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK PART!
Bethany x (UCC)
++++++++++++

WELL DONE GIRLS FROM UCC .. SECOND PLACE AND FOUR OTHER AWARDS! NOW THROUGH TO THE FINALS :D
Megan (UCC)
++++++++++++

UCC WE CAME 3RD! OMG!! FINAL HERE WE COME!
Well done to everybody else! You were all amazing! <3 <3 <3 <3
Charlotte S (UCC)
++++++++++++

Hornsea Community Primary School - 4 on the bounce - fantastic. Well done to pupils and teachers (and parents for support). Good luck in the Northern Junior Final.
Phil (v.proud parent - Hornsea Community Primary School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Good luck to everyone at rock challenge and hope we all have fun!!
Rosie and Ruby (UCC)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
Good to see the Ballee Community High School Rock Challenge Team getting press coverage in this online page of the "Ballymena Times newspaper !.
Meanwhile, the Beverley High School Rock Challenge Team gained coverage in this online page of the "Beverley Guardian" newspaper :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

BRILLIANT! What a fantastic and extremely proud moment to see all the PPS children on stage and performing so confidently.
Well done and thank-you to all the staff and helpers. Great to see what a small school with a big heart can do!
Rock Challenge stage crew and organisers: a huge thank-you for your effort and time. Next year? Who knows!
Mr Rowe (Paull Primary/b>)
++++++++++++

All the schools that took part in Rock Challenge at Bridlington were excellent.
In the show, I liked doing Hairspray (because I was in it!) and I enjoyed doing the flip with Francis.
All of us enjoyed doing Rock Challenge. Thank-you for our teachers for putting it together. We all were happy to get two awards and we were extremely happy we came in 4th place.
Kian (Paull Primary)
++++++++++++

OMG ! You were all brilliant out there!
Well done for coming in 3rd place ! I am so proud of you, SOMNIUM !! Yeeeeaaaahhhh....
Leanne (Martongate Primary School, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

At Carlisle now! Enjoying so much!!! :)
Lee A (St Benedict's Catholic College, Whitehaven, Cumbria)
++++++++++++

Good luck to all the teams competing at the sands today!
Can't wait! Go UCC!
Shannon (UCC)
++++++++++++

Come on ucc! We can do this! We can win! Good luck UCC !!
Laura xxxxxxxxxx <3 (UCC)
++++++++++++

May 3rd 2012

OK, UCC ... any more messages sent in 2nite will be posted up 2mrw ... I'm off to bed now or I'll not wake up in time for my 8am Morrisons Supermarket breakfast b4 Rocka at the Sands ! :)
C u all 2mrw...
OAP John, editing the RockaMessages page
++++++++++++

Good Luck to all the schools!! Go UCC!!!!!!!
Chloe (UCC)
++++++++++++

Good luck tomorrow, UCC !:) Hope we're going to do good! :)
Emilia xxxxx (UCC)
++++++++++++

:)
Megan (UCC)
++++++++++++

Well done, Bay Primary! A fantastic night. Everyone has worked really hard and you should be very proud of yourselves for your first year in UK Rock Challenge.
Amazing performances from all the other schools.
Sarah Swales (Bay Primary School, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

UCC, we are gonna do great! :D x
Chaz (UCC)
++++++++++++

Good luck to ucc! It is going to be really good and really enjoyable.
GO UCC!
Jessica P (UCC)
++++++++++++

GO UCC!!...WE CAN DO THIS xx<3xx
Kayleigh (UCC)
++++++++++++

Go UCC! May the 4th be with you all...
Love - Reardon x (Ullswater Community College, The Lake District, UK)
++++++++++++

Well done to everyone at brid weds night x
MASSIVE well done to Paull Primary, a very small school with only 19 volunteer children for the event!
What a fantastic day with well-behaved children: proud to be part of it and the children did the school proud .... bring it on for next year !
Lisa C xxx (East Yorkshire)
++++++++++++

Wow, what an amazing night!
Well done to Hornsea on their 4th win!
Bonnie x (Hornsea Community Primary School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

What a fantastic night last night at brid spa ! Everyone was great but a MASSIVE WELL DONE to HORNSEA PRIMARY SCHOOL ! Fourth-time winners: u seriously set the standards high.
Lianne (Parent - Hornsea)
++++++++++++

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE WON 4TH YEAR IN A ROW!!!!!!!
WELL DONE TO ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS WHO TOOK PART!!
Millz (Hornsea)
++++++++++++

Amazing night yesterday! Well done to all but what an amazing finale with the Lion King xx
(Paull Primary School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

WELL DONE to Paull Primary School ! First time for our small school to have done ANYTHING like this! You made us all feel so proud to be part of this wonderful school: a big thank-you to all involved and to everyone who came and supported :)
Well done to all the schools who took part on Wednesday and well done to Inmans for taking first place on Tuesday night !
The Sugden and Harrison families (Paull)
++++++++++++

CONGRATULATIONS to Inmans Primary for winning Junior Rock Challenge on Tuesday night ! It was awesome and your were amazing!!!
Can't wait to see it again ... woop woop !!!
Emma Mck xxxxx (East Yorkshire)
++++++++++++

Wow, what an amazing night! Well done to Hornsea on the 4th win.
Bonnie x (Hornsea)
++++++++++++

May 2nd 2012

Well done to Paull Primary School tonight ! I could not be any more proud of you all: you did something I will never forget.
Well done to all the schools at the Spa and thank-you for all the best wishes!
Well done to Inmans for taking first place yesterday !
Mrs Hayton (Paull)
++++++++++++

Wow ... what can I say ?!
Well done to all the schools that took part in tonight's Rock Challenge ... it was amazing!
Well done Bay Primary School on winning your award for best choreography: you were fantastic xxxx
Joanne Johnston (Bay Primary School, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

ARGHHHHHH ... 2 Days!!! Really excited!
Wish all the other teams the best of luck !
Let's go, cockermouth: show them what we're made of !!!!!
Parker (Cockermouth School, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

May 1st 2012

Well done to everyone who took part in Rock Challenge at Brid Spa on Monday and good luck to Headlands and Cottingham in the next round !
Emma H (Beverley High School, East Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Would like to wish hornsea primary school luck for weds night at brid spa: come on, kids, let's make it your fourth win
Either way, enjoy your day !!
Let's see if hornsea supporters can be the loudest again :)
Can't believe this will be my last time at a junior event as my daughter is moving up to senior school
++++++++++++

Come on, hornsea, let's ROCK IT - make it our 4th win!
This is my last year as a junior so let's do each other proud
Ella (Hornsea)
++++++++++++

I like rock challenge. I am happy for rock challenge and we came 3rd
I like sally. She is good at dance with me and emily is good at dancing with
Love from michael and tessa and emily and bivad and john and james: we are in our team for rock challenge
Good luck for buttershaw
Michael (Southfield)
++++++++++++

Apr 30th 2012

ROCK CHALLENGE ON WEDNESDAY. WHOOOO !!
It's not my first time in Rock Challenge but this time we are against different schools. We have had a hat-trick of wins and hopefully a fourth will sprout but even if not, I'm just so happy to have taken part!!!
Megz (Hornsea)
++++++++++++

OMG!!! 4 days to go!! Can't wait: Carlisle, here we come :)
Karen Mackay (St Benedict's Catholic High School, Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK)
++++++++++++

Apr 29th 2012

I am happy for rock challenge - I really enjoyed doing it
Michael A (Southfield)
++++++++++++

This is our first time doing Rock Challenge so I just want to wish Paull Primary School the best of luck for Wednesday: enjoy the day and have a good time !
Mrs Hayton (Paull)
++++++++++++

Apr 28th 2012

IN EXACTLY 6 WEEKS WE COULD ALREADY HAVE PERFORMED, OR BE GETTING READY TO PERFORM RIGHT NOW!!
KINGS, WE CAN DOO THIS! LET'S GET TO NATIONALS!
Cannot wait, woo ! See all the other schools and see what competition we have!! BRING IT ON !!
Jack N (Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Apr 27th 2012

The High Sheriff of West Yorkshire, S R Davidson Esq., attended his first-ever Rock Challenges this week: two days at Bradford. These inspired him to write the following email to Be Your Best Foundation Director Mervyn Bishop:

Monday evening was an exceptional experience for us both and we should like to thank you so very much for making us so welcome and for allowing us to be part of such a special occasion.

The enthusiasm, vibrancy and extraordinary talent of those youngsters was inspirational - a word often used..but not by me!

You will have gathered that what we witnessed was totally unexpected...but we loved every moment of it. It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to talk to some of the participants 'back stage' which simply went to reinforce how much they had gained from all the challenge offers them. As I said at the time, I wish some of those across all political parties who would have us measure a school simply by the cold objectivity of the 'measurable', had been there to witness what these youngsters can achieve when they are engaged.

You should be so proud of the event and all it has, does and will continue to achieve - it is undoubtedly making a huge difference to boys and girls who might otherwise find little they would regard as positive in their schooling.

The crew, too, were genuinely impressive....encouraging, patient and supportive.

Good luck with the rest of the tour - I hope our paths will cross again. Please thank Stuart for his part in a fantastic experience.

With every best wish,

Stephen

Hope you all enjoyed reading that as much as the Rock Challenge Crew did :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Absolutely loved tuesday at Bradford: it was my first time participating in rock challenge ... and we won!
Cannot wait for the finals! Good Luck to everyone else in the finals x
Hannah D (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

Well done to everyone involved in the Bradford heats on Tuesday! You were all fantastic and everyone was a winner! Good luck to all of those in the finals!
We are really proud that we managed to come first in our second year! See you all in Grimsby!!!!!!
Ben (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

Had a great day at Bradford, everyone was excellent!
I couldn't be more happy about coming first (in our second year). The best bit about the day was knowing that we get to do it all over again!
Soooooo excited for the final at Grimsby: I hope we do as well as we did last year
Jake (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

Rodillian had an amazing first experience at Rock Challenge in Bradford!!!
Cannot believe we came 2nd for our very first time at the comp!!! Great awards too!...
Well done all from other schools - you were amazing! :D x
So excited for finals in June!
Beckie (Rodillian High School, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
St Anne's Community Special School in East Yorkshire get good coverage in yesterday's "Hull Daily Mail" newspaper !
There's more about their first-ever entry into UK Rock Challenge here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Apr 26th 2012

It was gr8t at the rock challenge in Bradford. We had a fantastic day and we came third.
I love performing: l played tweedle dee. My costume was fab (it made me look soooooo funny). I would love to go to Grimsby again.
Thank you rock challenge for all for your help on the day.
Love MICHAEL XXXXXX (Southfield)
++++++++++++
It was really fun on 24th April. I really enjoyed doing the warm up at the beginning of the rock challenge and i enjoyed participating with the dancing. I also really enjoyed seeing the other schools down at St Georges Hall ... they were really good and we all enjoyed watching all the schools performaces. It was great fun.
I liked introducing our theme and the student representives and also enjoyed collecting the awards at the end of the show.
We are waiting to see if we get through to Grimsby (i would love to perform again xx)
Love from Subla xxxx (Southfield)
++++++++++++
I am happy that we came third place in rock challenge at Bradford. We had a good day. We all enjoy our performance - it was ace fab brill. (I was the Queen of Hearts). We would love to perform again in grimsby - we are waiting for the results to come through.
I loved Buttershaw - they were gr8t.
Love - Tessa xxxx (Southfield)
++++++++++++
I met a new friend from buttershaw and she walks there and her name is abi.
They were the best and we came third.
Emily (Southfield)
++++++++++++
We all had a great day from all of us on the day at st georges hall but then we had fun taking our photograph when we all sat down on the steps outside and then we performed on stage when all our parents came to watch us on the night.
From eleanor (Southfield)
++++++++++++
Great day had by all of us at St Georges hall and we all met loads of new friends.
We are waiting to see if we go through to Grimsby. Lets hope so cause we would like to perform again for everyone.
Love - kimberley xxxx (Southfield)
++++++++++++
We enjoyed the day having fun and seeing other dances. It went well.
Alice (Southfield)
++++++++++++

Well done to all involved in Bradford day 2 !
Massive well done to all at Cockburn - came first :)
Bring on Grimsby...
Liam H (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

This was the first year at which I've helped out in Rock Challenge, and it's not my last. GREAT competition !
Well done to everyone! A lot of talented people about, including the RC crew (nice dancing).
SEE YOU IN GRIMSBY!
Matty S (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

Apr 25th 2012

Had a great day yesterday at St George's Hall and to top it all off, Cockburn came first!
Was very big competition!
COME ON GRIMSBY! :D
Lorna B (Cockburn)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Good to see the two days of Bradford Rock Challenges made it into this morning's edition of the "Telegraph & Argus" newspaper ! You'll even get some video coverage from a part of yesterday's rehearsals if you go here to read the news item :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Apr 24th 2012

Rock Challenge at Bradford yesterday was such an amazing day, truly. We all loved every second !
It's been amazing to be back in rock challenge. It still hasn't settled in that we actually won ... been seeing loads of cast members around school today giving hugs and seeing smiles. Everyone's so happy and no-one can actually believe it that we'll be doing it all again in the final.
Thanks, Rock Challenge, for an amazing day! :)
Natasha (Tong High School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Well done to everyone at Bradford last night!!!!
Can't wait for today and to see all the other schools performing!!! Good luck to buttershaw!!!
Mega (Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Congratulations to all the schools performing last night at St George's Hall in Bradford and good luck to all the schools competing and showcasing there tonight ! Hope it all goes well. Can't wait to see all the brilliant performances!
Mrs Zacc (Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
A nice article in today's "The News" newspaper in Portsmouth that covers the performances by the Primary schools on their two out of the six days of Rock Challenge rehearsals and competitive performances in the Guildhall last week! There's more here :)
John (editing)
++++++++++++

HAZELWOOD were amazing on thursday! What a show: can't wait to see them show their stuff again in grimsby
xx go hazelwood go xx
Sandra (Hazelwood Integrated Secondary School, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

I wish all the best to Southfield School and to all dance Performances.
Natasha R (Southfield)
++++++++++++

Apr 23rd 2012

GO ROYDS - YeeHaa! To all the PMA stars that make up this year's team, I want to wish you luck in your first showcase as a Premier Team. I'm so very excited for you and wish I could be there to see you shine on stage.

It feels very strange not to be involved in Rocka and I feel sad that I won't be there in the crazy atmosphere: however, I know that you are in very capable hands so go out there and show them why you won last year and secured your place as a Premier School! Good Luck, and I can't wait to hear all about the day and performance :)

I'd also like to wish Danika, Lucy and the Thornton Grammar Team good luck as they too showcase today, and to all the Open Teams competing - go for it, give it your all, and enjoy the day ! :)
Sally in the USA (Ex-Liaison teacher from Royds SLC)
++++++++++++

Apr 22nd 2012

I am happy about rock challenge ! We have been at dance and put on our costumes.
I like southfield school - we do dance and rock challenge and it is good :)
Tessa and michael and emily are good at dance and rock challenge
Love - Michael and Sally (Southfield)
++++++++++++

Carn't believe it's actually tomorrow! All the rehearsals, all that time, everything will finally come together !
So exciting! My last rock challenge so going to make the most of it. Pretty sure it's gonna be amazing.
Wouldn't have been possible without all the hard work for the teachers and families, so thank you :D
Good luck tomorrow, everyone!! Can't wait to see you all: let's make this a day to remember :)
Natasha (Tong High School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

GO ON YOU MARVELL LOT ! Good luck all and hope we do well :)
Hull Ice Arena Thursday 26th April here we come!! Let's go. Marvell, LET'S GO!!<3
Leah B (Andrew Marvell Business Enterprise College, Hull, UK)
++++++++++++

Apr 21st 2012

Well done to everyone who took part in Friday's Junior Rock Challenge at the Guildhall in Portsmouth!
Special congratulations to every child, teacher and helper at Solent Junior School for performing the winning act: it was amazing :)
Lisa x (Emilia B's mum - Solent Junior School, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Had a great time at the Belfast rock challenge on 19th april 2012.
Congratuations to hazelwood: you did great.
Loved the show: everyone was good
Oonagh B xxxxxxxxxx (Little Flower Girls' School, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Apr 20th 2012

Well done to Hazelwood College last night at the Waterfront, Belfast: first place with their first entry ! Pupils, Staff and parents: a big pat on the back for a great performance :)
Just the chant of "Let's go, Model, let's go!" was missing. Next year, perhaps?????
S Willis (Belfast Model School for Girls, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Woooooo! We are all looking forward to the 24th april in St George's Hall !
Good luck to all the schools taking part :)
From Subla (Southfield)
++++++++++++

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE IN THE PRESS:
Good to see the new Humberside Police Rock Challenge Youth Division event on July 17th at the Hull New Theatre getting publicity in today's "Driffield Times & Post" newspaper ! Read more details here
John (editing)
++++++++++++

Apr 18th 2012

Wishing all the Bedenham Crew all the best of luck for Friday's rock challenge at the Guildhall. You have all worked so hard !
BEDENHAM WILL ROCK DA HOUSE X
Lindsey T (Bedenham Primary School, Gosport, Hampshire, UK)
++++++++++++

A massive "Good luck !" to all the schools competing in Belfast tomorrow.
Let's Go, Little Flower, Let's Go !
Cathy (Little Flower Girls' School, Belfast, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Had amazing time at Portsmouth ! Well done everyone (and thanx to Mellissa) !!!!
Abbty (Crickhowell School, Powys, Wales, UK)
++++++++++++

Getting excited about bradford now! All rehearsals going well :)
Liam H (Cockburn, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Good luck to all the teams taking part in the Belfast heat at the Waterfront Hall tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to hearing the results and seeing the videos of all the performances.
Good luck also to my two volunteers Emma and Rebecca. I know you will enjoy the experience and do a super job :)
Have a great day, everyone! Be your best!
Miss Willis (Belfast Model School for Girls, Belfast, Northern Ireland, but at present in Australia :)
++++++++++++

Looking forward to being a volunteer this week at Rock Challenge in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast!
Can't wait to see everyone's performances: good luck to all the schools competing!
Gonna miss not being on the stage performing with MODEL but hopefully we will be back to Rock Challenge soon!
Emma J (Belfast Model School for Girls, Northern Ireland)
++++++++++++

Oh My Gosh! Just 5 days left to go: can hardly contain my excitement. It's really gonna be an amazing day.
Let's go, Tong! Gonna be great to be finally taking part again. Can't wait to see everyone: dance all day and smile lots. Good luck to everyone :D
Natasha (Tong High School, Bradford, UK)
++++++++++++

Good luck to all the schools performing at Portsmouth today! It will be so much fun: can't wait :-)
Lily x (Waddesdon C of E School, Buckinghamshire, UK)
++++++++++++

AHH! I actually love EVERYTHING about Rock Challenge! Good luck to everyone who is still to perform, especially all the Northern Prem Finalists with their showcases!
Cannot wait until we get to do our next showcase at the Scottish Finals in Dundee and to compete at the Northern Premier Finals in Grimsby!!!
You gotta love RC: TURN IT UP RC2012!
Katie D (Peterhead Academy, Scotland)
++++++++++++

Apr 17th 2012

Good luck to the Crickhowell team - you have worked hard and I am sorry not to see your performance on Tuesday but I know you will enjoy the day.
A very big well done to Melissa for the choreography and your amazing commitment to Crickhowell.
Go girls (and boys)!!!!!!!
Mrs D (Crickhowell High School, South Wales, UK)
++++++++++++

I'm trying out a service called "Clear My Mail" - it claims to stop 100% of spam etc getting through after an initial settling-down period.

It's certainly "cleared" my demon.co.uk emails: there are at the moment a reported SEVENTY-FOUR waiting but it's not letting me get to ANY of them :-/

If you've emailed / messaged the website in the past few days, this will be why I've not replied to anything or posted your message on the website.

While I'm trying to get a comment out of the "Clear My Mail" support desk about this (nothing so far but then, they'll probably have emailed me on the demon.co.uk address, won't they... !) please instead use johnarro@gmail.com

John (editing)
++++++++++++

Apr 13th 2012

GLOBAL ROCK CHALLENGE TEAMS IN THE PRESS:
There's a nicely informative piece about the Yate International Academy Rock Challenge Team in this online page from today's "Bristol Evening Post" newspaper ! Good Luck to them, and to the participants from Culverhill Special School taking part alongside them on Monday at Portsmouth :)
John (editing)

++++++++++++

Apr 8th 2012

Yay let's go rock challenge ! Can't wait till 24th April - it'll be Fab!
We all love and adore Anne and Sally so much: they work extremely hard !
I can't wait to be the co-host for the first time. I always enjoy Rock Challenge: it is AWESOME!!!!!!
Love From Sublaxxx (Southfield)
++++++++++++

Good luck to everyone taking part in rock challenge! Hope you all do well :)
Holly (Waddesdon C of E School, Buckinghamshire, UK)
++++++++++++

Apr 7th 2012

Scott C. Parker is the technical director in the theatre department at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, USA. He's been a lighting and scenic designer, Equity stage manager, and technical director in New York and elsewhere since 1981.

My attention has been pointed towards two of his articles that have appeared on the American Educational Theatre Association's website. They're aimed at budding theatrical lighting designers and are well worth a study. The third link takes you to a page of his that delves into computer programs of use in a stage lighting environment :)

• It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
• Lights and ... Go !
• Useful Lighting Design Software