Students from the York school are going to line the way to the Olympic Opening Ceremony.
That’s a line that maps the route for the athletes as they head to the Olympic Stadium.
School children from 20 Get Set network schools in Yorkshire and Humber will form a Guard of Honour to line the route as athletes make their way through the Olympic Park into the Olympic Stadium, for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
At the start of the Athletes’ Parade, during the athletes’ procession from the Olympic Village to the Olympic Stadium, the school children from the region will join the 2,000 student Guard of Honour who will line the route, holding lanterns and banners they have created to support each of the 204 competing teams. For many of the 10,500 athletes the Guard of Honour will be their first experience of the London 2012 Games.
The school children have been preparing to provide a vibrant and diverse welcome for athletes competing at the Games. The students are already learning about the cultures and athletes of the 204 teams as part of their celebrations for London 2012 World Sport Day taking place next month on 25 June. World Sport Day, presented by Lloyds TSB, will see schools across the UK join together in celebrating how sport can bring the cultures of the world together. The schools forming the Guard of Honour will support one of the teams that they have chosen to learn about.
The Guard of Honour schools have been selected through the reward and recognition programme of the Get Set network, the official London 2012 education programme. They have demonstrated a commitment to living the Olympic and Paralympic Values and incorporating them into their school lives and curriculum.
Gary Verity Chairman of Yorkshire Gold said:
“I am delighted for the children from our region who have got this once in a lifetime opportunity to be down at the Games welcoming athletes from all around the world into the Olympic Park. I hope they all really enjoy this unique experience and I congratulate them and their schools for getting involved.”
LOCOG Chair, Seb Coe said:
‘The presence of so many young people at the start of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony will continue to show London 2012’s commitment to put young people at the heart of the Games. For athletes, the Guard of Honour will provide a stunning welcome to the Games and the perfect curtain raiser to the Athletes’ Parade.’
As well as having the opportunity to cheer on the world’s best athletes and be part of a global moment, the school children will also get the exciting chance to tour the Olympic Park and see some of the London 2012 venues before the world turns its attention to Danny Boyle’s Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium later that day.
The Athletes’ Parade will see the participating teams enter the Stadium, nation by nation. Teams enter in alphabetical order, according to the language of the Host Country and IOC protocol order apart from the Greek team which enters first for the Olympic Games, and the team of the Host Nation (Team GB), who enter last.