Article created on 6th April 2017 – Ms Maria Rawluk, Pupil Support Leader.

Isis Hainsworth, former student of Drummond Community High School ( Aug 2010 – May 2016) and Leith Walk Primary School ( August 2003 – June 2010)  has been successful in being cast as Orla, one of  six young friends, on the cusp of change, in the play  Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour adapted from the novel by Alan Warner. The play is to be performed in London’s West End in the Duke of York’s Theatre from 9^th May to 2^nd September 2017.  No stranger to taking on new challenges, Isis already has a number of TV credits to her name in One of Us ( BBC) broadcasted in May 2016 and  In Plain Sight ( played on ITV/STV).

As her Guidance /Pupil Support Leader it has been my pleasure and delight to have worked closely with Isis. Since she started in S1 in August 2010  Isis gained the respect of her teachers and her peers through her passion for the performing arts as she quietly and tenaciously participated in shows both in and out of school, continuing her classes established while still at primary school.

Isis is a student known as someone who was prepared to ‘get involved’ with events and opportunities available at or through the school such as in S1, participating at the BA Youth Games as part of a group of gymnasts and dancers. Participating at parents’ evenings for the parents of primary students planning to come to the high school, Isis supported staff through a presentation about the school displaying a real enthusiasm for the school, or through a group demonstration of the technological innovations employed by the Music department to promote the enjoyment as well as the playing of music. At a school concert she thrilled the staff, students and guests with her strong singing voice. She was able to use her singing skills in Science, offering them during a lesson on “Soundwaves”. This really brought the concepts alive and added to the enjoyment. Through her drama experiences, Isis has gained a name as an incredible character actress; one who is able to switch from one character to another easily and convincingly in the same show to the great pleasure and entertainment of the audience. She was one of the key performers in the Drama department and was given challenging work to do. Through the delivery of her characters, she was able to move the audience to laughter or to sadness and tears. In S5 and S6 Isis continued with Higher and Advanced Higher Drama at Leith Academy  in order to further develop her skills. She juggled this addition to her timetable while at the same time continuing her courses at Drummond Community High School.

As a  student who was always involved with opportunities, Isis became a peer mentor in a programme organised through Queen Margaret University where Isis learned to ‘dialogue’ with groups of peers on the subject of alcohol: they showed others how to talk truthfully, they listened, and they shared knowledge in these very different types of ‘no-adults-allowed’ conversations. After their training, Isis and her peers came into school to peer mentor students across the year groups. Despite her  achievements, Isis is a modest, self-effacing young with a friendly and bubbly personality and always a positive addition to any grouping.

Together with her school activities, Isis balanced her attendance at two youth theatres, one specialising in Musical Theatre and the other in straight Drama and playwriting, frequently giving up evenings, weekends and holidays in order to give a high level of commitment to these activities.

The staff at Drummond Community High School wish Isis increasing success and look forward hearing about her endeavours.  Please view link for  further information http://ourladiestheplay.co.uk/about-the-show/#