Bees put Sharyn on the right track; COLLEGE ACCESS: Sporting passion is inspiration for partially-deaf student.

Byline: By Staff Reporter

SPEEDWAY fan Sharyn Anderson is working with Coventry Bees on a web game which could put her in line for an award.

Sharyn, aged 18, is partially deaf and is a student at Henley College Coventry.

She is creating an interactive web game, Crack the Code, based on the Coventry Bees as part of her ICT course at the college.

And it could lead to her being nominated for an Interactive Media Award.

Sharyn is studying for a Diploma in Digital Applications, a revolutionary paperless qualification from Edexcel that focuses on the practical application of technology.

Sharyn said: "Ever since I was a kid I have always had a passion for speedway and when I had the opportunity to undertake a project on something I really liked, I chose the Coventry Bees, who are my local speedway team."

The course is project based and is equivalent to four GCSEs.

The project brief requires the student to create a game which must be on a topic or theme of their choice to suit an audience of their own age. And Sharyn, an avid fan of Coventry Bees, decided her game would be based on Coventry Bees.

Pat King, a computing tutor at Henley College, teaches the multi-media unit and has supported Sharyn with her project. Pat said: "I am very proud of Sharyn. She has worked extremely hard for this moment of recognition and should be very pleased with the results she has achieved.

"She has tackled the project with great enthusiasm and she should be an inspiration to all.

"With Sharyn's commitment to study, there's no doubt she will complete the course successfully." Sharyn was able to undertake the project thanks to support from the Student Access and Support Unit (SASU).

Jane Blundell, of SASU, accompanied Sharyn to the Coventry Stadium home of the Coventry Bees where she interviewed team manager Colin Pratt and rider Chris Harris for her game.

Jane said: "Our role at SASU is to ensure deaf students have equal access to the learning environment by providing specialist support such as sign language interpretation.

"Sharyn has progressed well in her studies and we are glad to be a part of her success."

The video footage used in developing the game had to be 60 to 90 seconds long with students shooting and editing it themselves. They also provide a script.

Crack the Code is based on answering questions from video footage viewed, and two other levels of the game, all hosted on a website produced by Sharyn.

For more details about ICT provision at Henley College Coventry, call Student Services on 024 7662 6375.

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SPORTING INSPIRATION... Henley College student Sharyn Anderson with Coventry Bees rider Chris Harris who she interviewed as part of her project.