NORTHERN and proud of it that was the message from Parkview School’s public speaking efforts on October 1989, with a few ‘eeh bah gums’ thrown in to prove a point.

Speaking on The Great Divide, 16-year-old Pamela Wall kept an audience at Barrow’s Michaelson House entertained for almost 15 minutes on the quality of life beyond Watford Gap, kicking off with a brilliant stab at a flat cap and black pudding accent.

Backed by Helen Probert, 15, in the chair, and ably thanked by Janini Puvirajasingham, 16, as the expresser of thanks, the three pupils claimed first prize in the Barrow heat of the UK Federation of Business and Professional Women’s public speaking competition.

A once in a lifetime expedition to the Arctic beckoned for one adventurous Parkview School pupil in 2007.

The Barrow secondary was one of just 12 schools from the UK, Germany and Canada invited to take part in The Cape Farewell Project.

That September a student would join a week-long voyage to the Norwegian part of the Arctic aboard a 95-year-old schooner called Noordelicht.

The landmark education project involved students working with scientists and artists to think creatively about climate change.

They would take on study and work programmes about the impact we are having on the planet.

They would monitor the role the ocean currents played, the direct effect melting ice had on the extreme environment, and the effect changing weather patterns and rising seas could have on urban lives.

Parkview Community College of Technology had formed the Arctic Academy with 18 Year Nine pupils, who were working together to research the effects of global warming on the Arctic and the planet.

The Arctic Academy had shortlisted five students who they believed should go on the trip of a lifetime. One would be chosen to go on the voyage.

They selected Rosie Cavanagh as best explorer; Tom McGuire as the best communicator; Jonathan Benson as the best team player; Chris Harley as the best creative thinker and Jozef Tkock as the best scientist.