After coming through an era of lockdown, students are beginning to reconnect with family, friends, school and the wider world. Students were asked to show us what ‘reconnect’ (our pastoral theme for the year) means to them, in a single photo and caption.

Congratulations to all of our House Photography Competition winners! We had so many amazing submissions to consider.

• Winner (senior): Niall Keys (B/C)
• Highly commended (senior): Lily Patterson (M/R)

• Winner (intermediate): Gabriel Mak (B/T)
• Highly commended (intermediate): Sam Sharkey (N/D)

• Winner (junior): Hannah Kelly (M/R)
• Highly commended (junior): Megan Chambers (B/T)

You can see all of our amazing entries below:

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  Gabriel Mak - This lockdown has dramatically brought a lot of us apart so being around friends can help with emotional support. Initially the reason why I chose this photo is because these benches have a lot of meaning to me just like having a supportive motive. During break or lunch time, boys and girls walk pass this area, coming out with some games and making sure our friends are having fun when playing some sort of sport games which can eventually bring us closer even though we’ve been through such a trauma. Reconnecting is important might as well be the motivations for us to school! So what you’re waiting for…let’s reconnect!

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  Nicole Thompson - I took this image when I went to Portstewart. Here we see a couple reuniting after having to isolate because of COVID. Together they were reuniting with our beautiful scenery. The sun is trying to break through the clouds-an image that hope is on the horizon, better things are just around the corner and the possible reunification with normality.

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  Rachael McIvor - This breathtaking sunrise shows the beauty of world, it helps us appreciate what’s around us and in a way, makes us feel closer to nature.

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  Bobby Mann - I really missed play football as COVID meant I couldn’t play with my family but now I can!

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  Charlie McLaughlin - This Image Let’s you reconnect as it is a beautiful picture of Nature as the Sun rising in the morning and it lets you appreciate the beauty of nature.

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  Shannon Kelly-Troughton - Reconnecting with places from past memories of childhood within nature areas.

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  Sheelyn Gallagher - This photo shows us to get up of our phones, T.V, etc and get outside and reconnect with the wonderful world around us.

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  Sam Sharkey - I reconnected by holding my own charity tractor run with a friend which turned out to have 20 tractors there.

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  Rebekah Needham - During lockdown I found two house martin chicks which had fallen from their nest. I hand fed them and built up trust so they would come when I called them and hop onto my hand. As we were disconnected from friends and family, this reconnection with nature was really special.

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  Hannah Kelly - During covid I got to go to the park with my grandparents and my brother to see the baby swans.

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  Lily Patterson - Reconnecting with nature has been a strong theme the past few years, at a time when exercise was one of the only reasons you were allowed out. This picture shows how although we couldn't meet new people, we could still reconnect with wildlife and start appreciating our world again.

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  Siena Fenton - This image represents reconnect in 2 ways. It represents how I’ve been able to reconnect with my family over lockdown in a way I wouldn’t otherwise have done and, since the picture is taken in a car, it represents being able to reconnect with people through visiting and travelling.

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  Niall Keys - Since Lockdown, I have enjoyed getting out and about with my camera around various different beauty spots, old buildings and reconnecting with my surroundings!

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  Megan Chambers - This pictures relates to the theme ‘let’s reconnect’ as the different shoes types represent people of different backgrounds and the pictures shows them altogether reconnecting.

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  Rebecca Verner - During lockdowns, I began to reconnect with nature, and I learned to appreciate the little things in life, such as the dew on this flower at home.

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  Louise Smiton - For the first time in 2 years, Lisbeg pipe band has participated in a concert to support fundraising. This was at Tim Webb's concert to raise money for the air ambulance. This happened on Friday 11th February. It felt amazing to put on a display for the public.

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  Bethany Jackson - This photo shows us that after a year and a half of lockdown, many of us have fallen apart. Friendships and even families have broken down. Being alone for that amount of time is hard. Many people couldn't attend funerals or visit elderly relatives. But now things are changing and we are delighted that restrictions are easing and now we can reconnect.

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  Chloe McCollum - This is Misty. Her and I have reconnected recently, spending more time together, and she kept my spirits up during Lockdown with her huge smile. In this picture, I tried to capture the joy and encouragement a simple smile from a happy dog can bring to your day.

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  Rachel Kuck - 1 of the 5 mental health ideas is to get active. During lockdown we were isolated and many went outdoors as a way to feel free from restrictions. In this photo it has trees connecting together representing how many of us connect with nature.

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  Darcie Knox - With covid and lockdown, we all have been looking at our devices a lot more, so I took this photo to show the beauty outside technology and to encourage more people to go outside and appreciate the opportunities. This can be reconnecting with the world. Going outside is proven to help your mental health and make you happier this can reconnect your mind as well.