Combating Homelessness with Rock Paper Scissors

Leighton Park’s inaugural Rock Paper Scissors tournament took place over the first half of the Summer Term raising money for Berkshire’s leading homelessness charity, Launchpad Reading, supporting one of the school’s long term charitable partnerships.

The competition was organized by History teacher and Head of Politics, Richard Duckett, whose beard-growing efforts raised over £1,000 for Launchpad last year. Contestants paid to enter the tournament and had to wind their tutor group round, their year group round and then a random play off against another year to reach the final. Each round was the best of three so there was a lot of shouting!

“The idea for the tournament came from a Year 10 Global Perspectives class,” explained Richard, “They were doing a mini-project to practice for their group GCSE coursework. Students voted for one project from the groups in the class as the one to make a reality, and this was the winner, so we had a few classes planning and organizing. It’s been a bit of fun, raised over £122 and now we have LP’s first PRS champion!”

Tessa (Lower Sixth) faced Paxton (Year 10) in the final and after three rounds had to concede to his winning hand. “It was fun but to be honest I was also a bit scared to do it in front of the whole school, I didn’t really expect that I would ever be on the stage of Main Hall to play Rock Paper Scissors!” laughed Tessa. “I think the game is a bit of skill and a bit of luck; but considering the fact that I always lost when playing with my friends and then won most of my games in the competition, I probably got very lucky!”

Victorious Paxton, reflected, “I am interested in this competition because I have never participated in a rock paper scissors tournament before. I was really nervous because the outcome is unpredictable and I really wanted to win. I will say it’s based on skill, I had a plan and it worked out! Hosting events like this draws attention as well as spreading awareness to the people participating in the event, it gives them a better understanding of the importance to combat homelessness.”

Rock Paper Scissors originated in China and is a hand game between two people who use their outstretched hands to form shapes. A flat hand represents paper, a balled fist represents rock and two fingers extended horizontally in a V shape represents scissors. In the rules of the game rock trumps scissors, scissors trump paper and paper trumps rock. It may appear random but there can be some level of skill involved if the player is able to work out the non-random, but often unconscious, patterns of behaviour exhibited by their opponent.