Tavistock College Students Attend Okehampton Olympic Torch Passing Ceremony

Monday 21st May 2012: 5 roving reporters accompanied by Mr Thorogood and Mr Collacott took an early morning trip to Okehampton to observe and report on the Olympic Torch Ceremony. The students met with the BBC Good Morning Devon team and one student, Molly Bolding, was interviewed on the air. The other students set about conducting interviews with the crowd, and got an interview in with the Mayor. The students collected the photos themselves and on returning to school compiled their words and images into a report on the day.

Outstanding Olympic Occasion – Tavi Team Track Torch

On a cold and misty morning in West Devon, the small Dartmoor town of Okehampton held a very big event - as the Olympic Torch procession made its way through the town centre.

World-class athletes come from all corners of the globe to compete in the Olympic Games, held only once every four years. The Olympic Torch is a powerful and iconic symbol of this fabled competition.

This year, the flame travelled on a gold-painted plane, from Athens, to Land's End - and today, it arrived in Okehampton.

The idea of the Olympic flame originated in Ancient Greece. The flame represents the fire that Prometheus stole from Zeus and gave to the humans, according to the myth. The fire is supposed to have sacred qualities.

The flame is kept burning throughout the Olympics.

The 2012 torch has been designed with 8,000 holes. This is to stop the heat being conducted down the handle and to give it a more transparent look. The designer also says that each hole represents a torch bearer.

The torch is making its 70 day journey through 1,019 communities to the Olympic Stadium ready for the London Olympics 2012.

Today's lucky torch-bearer was Georgina Geike - UK Ladies Champion Pistol Shooter. An Olympic gold hopeful, the British Ladies number 1 has big ambitions. A former pentathlete, Geike switched to shooting exclusively after her first year at university. As someone who was born (and continues to train) in Okehampton, Geike feels "so proud to be carrying the torch through her home town".

One spectator said "I think the Olympics will bring an awful lot. There's a lot happening in Okehampton, masses of sporting events. We've got the Devon Youth Games to Inspire! The Olympics are a great chance for all the countries to get together and enjoy sport!"

Georgina has carried the torch from Exeter through Okehampton to Folly Gate.

We arrived at 6:50am to watch it all unfold. The Olympic parade of lorries, coaches and athletes started rolling in 7:30am. Geike and her entourage arrived in town at 8:22am.

All of the local community had turned out to this once in a lifetime spectacle.

When asked, one of Okehampton's town councillors said "It's been very exciting... we are very lucky- there are many towns the torch didn't come through".

We even managed a quick word with the Mayor of Okehampton. He said "The publicity is great for Britain and the sport will be fantastic."

The atmosphere was buzzing with enthusiasm, and the morning's festivities went off without a hitch. Everyone left with a proud grin on their face.

We asked one local what he thought of the whole day, and he told us "It was a great environment to be in, surrounded by so many people waiting for the flame and to me, it's the start of the Olympic games."

By Molly Bolding, Sam Chambers, Martha Peach, Laura Meredith and Cyrus Larcombe-Moore.

See the Tavistock College June Newsletter for the full report