Stockport Academy Marks Manchester Arena Memorial With Love And Respect

Chris Prince / 28 May 2019 / Categories: News, Student Newsletter

Our Student Newsletter contributor Viki Malabuyoc reports on how our school paid tribute to those affected by the Manchester Arena attack two years ago.

Sombre, reflective, emotional: All words to describe our tribute to the Manchester Arena tragedy.

It has been two years since the bombings at Manchester Arena occurred. This attack hit very close to home – literally and figuratively. Some of us in the Academy had been personally impacted by the attack, so as a school we decided we wanted to pay our respects to the 22 victims.

This year, our theme was “Love not Hate”. Our goal was to try to focus on how the community of Manchester helped and supported each other on that devastating day and the weeks that followed. The Manchester bee represents exactly that - community. Though the devastation the bombings brought was incomprehensible, a campaign was sparked of love and positivity to help the healing process. We learned from that day that the best way to fight hate, war and violence is to stand together and love together - to live together and build a wall of positivity.

Stockport Academy represented that ideal by getting the entire school involved in our annual memorial. Students personally wrote messages onto yellow bee-shaped cards, which were to be dropped during our commemoration. Our EPA (Expressive and Performing Arts) department also pitched in with beautiful tributes: the choir sang “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis and “One Last Time” by Ariana Grande in reference to her One Love concert. The SA dancers choreographed an uplifting dance to “Believe”.

The world felt silent and slow when our handwritten bees were dropped from the roof. An instrumental track played in the background while the gentle wind swayed the bees before they touched the floor.

22 Students were given black and yellow balloons - representing the 22 precious lives that were lost on that night. These balloons were released into the sky, which was a touching moment for all of us - teachers and students alike.

The experience will not leave me. Even when I leave the Academy I am sure that moments like these will be the ones I remember. Stay strong, Stockport.