[O]n Monday May 14 2018 at morning break students and teachers brought the academy to life with a surprise flash mob using the hit song, ‘This Is Me’ from the iconic show The Greatest Showman.
The flash mob began with a small group of students declaring ‘This Is Me’ to the camera, leading in to an impressive vocal performance from two Year 9 boys – Rhys Roberts and Haydan Small. It continued with over fifty students dancing, filling the main entrance of the academy. The choreography was inspired by the film and was led by Post-16 students Hannah Burgess, Hannah Coulthard and Beth Walker.
The inspiring performance served to deliver a beautiful message to students, telling them to be confident and believe in themselves, especially those about to begin their exams. The video, which was released on the academy’s Facebook page, has been enthusiastically received by the wider Facebook community. At the time of writing, the post has received over 40k views, 750 shares and over 1,500 supportive and emotive comments. We are stunned by the response, exceedingly grateful and overwhelmed by all of the amazing feedback.
Beth Walker said: “Leading up to the flash mob, everything was so exciting, especially as it was a huge secret. I think that it is so important to shed some positive light and just have fun, especially leading up to exam season! The reaction from both the academy and the community is overwhelming and I am so proud of the outcome!”
Hannah Burgess said: “Honestly, I was nervous originally. It takes a lot of effort and dedication to bring such a talent-infused routine together – but after six weeks it paid off. I am so proud and thankful to every student and staff member who participated and enjoyed being a part of the flash mob. It’s amazing how one group of individuals can come together over time to unite as a team and express how proud we are of ourselves and each other for being true to our identities. I’m also shocked about the amount of people who have seen, liked and shared our video across social media.”
Mrs Sunter, who coordinated the whole event, commented: “I am so proud of everyone who played their part, from those watching to those involved. The support of this positive message wouldn’t be possible without all of them. I completely feel full of pride and humbled to be part of team WLA.”
