jim clark memorial trophy

An inter-schools writing competition was introduced in February 1995 by the Vocational Services Committee, which was chaired by Bill Henderson, a Past President who has now moved to Anstruther.

In June that year, Past President Norman Middleton, generously provided a shield for presentation annually on a youth challenge basis. This challenge could be a different topic / subject every year.

In July 1996 the Council decided that the Inter-Schools Trophy should be named the Jim Clark Memorial Trophy. Jim Clark, who died in October 1995, besides being a very active Rotarian and a founder member of the Deacon's Court, was a Convener of West Lothian Council and a JP.

The trophy has gained in strength over the years. It is open to all pupils in Primary 7 and each entry must be the pupil's own unaided work. The pupil with the winning entry is given a prize of £35 and a framed certificate. The pupil's school holds the Jim Clark Memorial Trophy for one year and receives £200 towards school funds and a framed certificate. Further, the pupil with the best entry in each of the other schools is given a prize of £20 and a certificate. You can read the winning entry for 2008 / 2009 below.

I have a Dream
I woke up this beautiful morning,
I had a perfect dream,
To stop all badness from coming,
So we worked as a team.
To stop all children from starving,
An end to chopping down trees,
No more litter on the streets,
To help the dying bees.

No homeless people begging for money,
An end to a frightening fight,
To stop animal sacrifices,
Less bonfires on the night.

An end to bad habits,
To hope not to have bad weather,
No more bullying one another,
Try and work together.

To save more electricity,
Ending our O-zone layer,
To stop the factory pollution,
Make sure we have clean air.

I woke up this beautiful morning,
I had a perfect dream,
That all the goodness had come,
Just by working as a team.

By Yasmin Wan (P7 Linlithgow Bridge Primary School)
Published with Permission © Yasmin Wan