La estudiante de Year 13, Estela C., acaba de pasar a la Final de la XI Edición del “Programa de Becas Europa” con el objetivo de estimular el talento y la formación de los alumnos preuniversitarios. Ella misma se ha ofrecido a contarnos su experiencia.
Por Estela C. Alumna de Year 13 de Caxton College
El programa de Becas Europa consiste en seleccionar a 50 candidatos con el propósito de viajar por Europa a lo más profundo de la esencia de diferentes universidades, disfrutando de conferencias, actividades culturales y encuentros con personalidades de las instituciones que visiten.
Y los objetivos son premiar, fortalecer y estimular el talento y la formación de los alumnos preuniversitarios promoviendo en ellos un compromiso de desarrollar estos talentos al servicio de la sociedad.
Las diferentes fases de la competición han sido originales y muy divertidas de llevar a cabo, conociendo a otros candidatos y forjando amistades. Al estar clasificada veo mi recorrido por Becas Europa con mucho cariño y con ganas de participar en la 4º Fase de Selección que consiste en asistir a un fin de semana al Campus de la Universidad Francisco de Vitoria. Ahí, formaremos equipos y realizaremos una serie de pruebas para seleccionar a los 50 ganadores del viaje final. Sin embargo el hecho de estar en la final ya proporciona una serie de ventajas para cuando seamos universitarios, ya que te incluyen en un programa con mentores que te apoyan y aconsejan durante esta etapa tan importante.
En cada ciudad del viaje final, los alumnos participan en la vida cultural del lugar: la ópera, el teatro musical, un taller gastronómico… Ayudan a enriquecerse con la belleza y creatividad de la cultura de cada lugar. Además, se realizan actividades de ocio típicas de cada ciudad como el remo en Oxford, una gymkhana urbana en Heidelberg, disfrutar de un simulador del Ferrari F1 o realizar visitas turísticas a los lugares europeos más representativos. Es más, en ediciones pasadas, Becas Europa ha contado con una gran variedad de ponentes y encuentros con personalidades en las instituciones que visita. Desde el Papa Benedicto XVI a la primera dama de Inglaterra, Cherie Blair. Concluyendo cada edición con un encuentro con SS.MM. D. Felipe y Dña. Letizia, Reyes de España.
La primera vez que me dieron la oportunidad de participar lo dudé porque no sabía a lo que me estaba presentando pero, después de informarme supe que era una gran oportunidad y que valía la pena intentarlo. La primera prueba es solo responder a unas preguntas generales y personales, así que animo a los futuros candidatos a que lo intenten y se embarquen en esta aventura tan emocionante.
Becas Europa es una oportunidad única, llena de actividades interesantes y personas que te hacen ser mejor, voy a disfrutar de la final y con suerte del viaje increíble pero solo con haber sido parte de la familia de Becas Europa ya me siento afortunada.
Our Year 13 student, Estela C., has just reached the Finals of the XI Edition of the “European Grants Programme”, which was created to encourage the talent and training of pre-university students. She tells us about her experience in her own words.
By Estela C. Year 13 student at Caxton College
The European Grants programme consists of selecting 50 candidates who will then travel around Europe, to experience in depth the essence of different Universities, while attending conferences, enjoying cultural activities and meeting with people from the institutions visited.
The aims are to reward, strengthen and stimulate the talent and training of these pre-University students, while fostering in them a commitment to develop their talents for the benefit of society as a whole.
The different rounds of the competition were original and great fun for us, as we got to meet the other candidates and forged friendships with them. Now that I have been classified, I look back fondly on my experience so far with European Grants, and am really looking forward to taking part in the fourth selection stage. This will consist of spending a weekend on campus at the Francisco University in Vitoria. There, we will be put into teams and will have to perform a series of tests in order to choose the 50 finalists who will go on the trip. However, just making it to the final round already gives us a number of advantages for when we go to University, as we are included in a mentoring programme, and will receive support and advice during this important stage of our lives.
In every city on the final trip, the winning students will experience the cultural scene there: the opera, musical theatre, cookery workshops… These are enriching events which help to appreciate the beauty and creativity in the culture of each of the cities. There are also typical recreational activities in the host towns, such as rowing in Oxford, an urban gymkhana in Heidelberg, enjoying a Ferrari F1 simulator or guided tours of the most representative European cities. In addition, in former years, European Grants has been fortunate to count on the participation of a wide range of speakers and meetings with famous personalities in the institutions visited, from Pope Benedict XVI to the UK’s first lady, Cherie Blair. Each edition concludes with a meeting with Their Majesties Don Felipe and Doña Letizia, King & Queen of Spain.
The first time I was offered the chance to take part in this contest, I hesitated because I did not quite know what was involved, but after finding out more about it I realised that it was a great opportunity, and one worth aiming for. The first round only involves answering some general and personal questions, so I would encourage all future candidates to try for it, and to embark on this wonderfully exciting adventure.
European Grants is a unique opportunity, full of interesting activities and people who will make you want to be a better person. I intend to thoroughly enjoy the final round and, if I am lucky enough, the incredible journey that follows. However, I already feel very fortunate just to have been a part of the family that makes up European Grants.
Leave a Reply