Write a comment
Students at Sacred Heart Grammar School in Newry excelled at the recent Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) Young Economist of the Year Awards in Dublin with 12 of them receiving awards.
Year 14 Student Isabella Morgan was the overall Northern Ireland winner of the PDST Young Economist of the Year Award 2023. The student was awarded for her research project entitled 'Back to the Future: Is gold providing stability to central banks in unstable times?' The project questioned the feasibility of returning to a gold standard and if there are other alternatives. It analysed the current anomaly in the economy of entering a recession while still experiencing inflation. It explored the history of gold and the reason countries have decided to turn away from gold in the past centuries. Also, it explored why countries could be relying more on it with the current geoeconomic and political conditions.
The Northern Ireland Award Runner-Up was announced as Lily Brannigan, Lucy Johnston and Orlaith Lambe, Year 11 students from the Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry. Their research essay and animation was entitled: Unheard Consequences: Unveiling the Economic Implications of Hearing Impairment in Today's Society. This explored how individuals with hearing impairments affect the growth of the global economy, and the cost burdens it has on both the individual and society. It focused on a range of aspects, from hard of hearing individuals to inequality rooted in the educational system.
Also, a number of Sacred Heart students were awarded a Silver award for their projects and were invited to the ceremony to be presented with their medals and to present their projects. They included Eleanor Dunne, Orlagh McEvoy, Lauren McSwiggan (Year 11) for their project 'The Climate-Economy Conundrum,' which investigated the implications of climate change on the global economy. Isabella Leary, Grace Mallie, and Ellen Boyle (Year 11) for their project 'Uncovering the Correlation between Crime and Poverty,' which delves into the connection between crime and poverty. Tara Reilly (Year 13) for her project 'Examining The Paradox of Peace: Is Peace Good For The War Business?' This was a commentary piece focusing on the question of defence spending in a time of non-conflict. Ella Finnegan (Year 13) for her project 'Cinematic Growth: An Economic Analysis of the Impact of Film and Media on Ireland's Tourism Industry,' which provided an economic analysis of this booming industry.
Mr McComb, the Head of Economics at the Sacred Heart Grammar School, expressed his immense pride in his young economists and commended them for their dedication, diligence, and enthusiasm. "All of the contributions from my students demonstrated a considered methodology, probing significant economic investigations through the employment of economic theory and empirical exploration. I am genuinely pleased that a vast number of students took part in the 'Young Economist of the Year' contest, as it availed them of the chance to polish their research skills and amplify their enthusiasm for economics, hence augmenting their understanding of the world that surrounds them."
