Pupils at Tenby Junior Community School celebrated March 1 in true Welsh fashion on Friday. Pupils wore traditional costume and Welsh rugby shirts and even the staff dressed up.

The morning began with a school eisteddfod, pupils competing against each other through cooking, artwork, recitations and playing musical instruments. Prior to this event, prelims had been held when the house captains for each of the houses - Caldey (red), Monkstone (green), Goscar (blue) and Giltar (yellow) - had selected the pupils to represent them. All participants were awarded house points.

Mrs. Carwyn Harry visited school on Thursday to judge the quality of the Welsh cakes and the winners were announced on Friday morning. The adjudicators on the day were Mr. Peter Williams, the former head, judging artwork and recitations, and Mr. Chris Llewellyn, music co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire, judging the musical items.

Interspersed with the competitions was entertainment, provided by each year group and pupils from the Welsh Unit. More house points were awarded and winners received a lovely certificate.

Mr. Cox kept the tension sustained throughout the morning as the house points mounted up and the competition between the houses grew. Eventually, the winning house was Monkstone. The house captains were presented with the winning shield.

School lunch was traditional Welsh cawl and cheese with Preseli mountain pudding for sweet.

In the afternoon, the pupils went to Tenby Leisure Centre and had fun taking part in Welsh folk dancing. The band for the afternoon was made up of staff from the school and special thanks to Mr. Richard Tiller who took time off from his boat to play the fiddle for us. Mr. Whitehurst played guitar, Mr. Cox drums, Mrs. Davies on keyboards and Ms. D'Ortez on Irish drum.

Special thanks to the following people: Mrs. Carwyn Harry, Mr. Peter Williams, Mr. Chris Llewellyn, Mrs. Robert Thomas, manager of the Leisure Centre, Mr. Condon and Mr. Whitehurst for the professional looking certificates and programmes, and the staff at Tenby Junior School who all entered in to the spirit of the day and helped to make the day a memorable one for all the pupils.

Thanks also to the parents who sent in Welsh cakes for the staff.

BOOK TEAM

A team has been selected to represent Tenby Junior School to compete in the Welsh Books Council Competition 2002.

The team will deliver a dramatic presentation on 'Sion and the Bargain Bee' (Jenny Sullivan) and a discussion on 'The Suitcase Kid' (Jacqueline Wilson) before judges at Haverfordwest next week.

The team is: Lucy Morris, Natalie Hunt, Zoe Draper, and Alex Thomas, all of 5DW, while reserve is Gareth Warlow, Dos Cymraeg, Year 4.

Special thanks to Eva John, PPEC, for support and encouragement.