This year’s Light Night theme was the 50^th anniversary of the Apollo space programme and the first man on the moon. Taking inspiration from women in NASA during the Space Race, we focused our Reach Out workshops on three African American mathematicians – Catherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan – most famously portrayed in the 2016 film, Hidden Figures.

Children were introduced to Johnson, Jackson and Vaughan in relation to their education, skills and how they overcame segregation in the workplace. Each mathematician’s curiosity, determination and inventiveness became the basis for the decoration of participating children’s ‘Dream Rockets’, where they listed their own curiosities and hopes for the future. Each rocket would later be launched at Light Night on Friday 8^th February as part of a large interschool installation.

Light Night was electric – the streets were a carnival of illuminations and sound, with families, young people and adults alike enjoying the many attractions and events taking place around the city.

The NGHS marquee was located on Long Row just off the Market Square, giving us a prime location to welcome hundreds of children and families to participate.  A total of 1,200 rockets were launched on Long Row, creating a colourful array of dreams and hopes for the future.

We are so grateful to our community schools – St Edmund Campion, South Wilford, Jesse Gray and St Ann’s Well Academy for taking part. A very special thank you also to our Sixth Form and staff volunteers for making Light Night 2019 a huge success!

All of the 1,200 plastic bottles used at Light Night will be recycled to make Nottingham Girls’ High School’s first ECO green house.