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Primary Two pupils from St Clare’s Abbey Primary School in Newry recently visited Specsavers Opticians in the Buttercrane Shopping Centre to find out all about looking after their eyes.
The five and six year olds got to see all the ways that Specsavers can test your eyes including colour testing and 3D testing and how eye health is checked using a light.
Dispensing optometrist Shauna Reeves and Kimberley Bruce, ophthalmic optician, told the girls all about eye anatomy and explained the function of each part of the eye.
The pupils tried on trial frames and glasses, visited the lab to find out how glasses are made and got to feel contact lenses before taking home a goodie bag.
Six year old Sophie Malone, said: ‘It was a great day. I got to try on some glasses and see how they were made. I want to be an optician when I grow up.’
Teacher Helen McGoldrick said: ‘We are extremely grateful to Specsavers Buttercrane for taking the time to educate our pupils about eye health. It’s really important that they learn about looking after their eyes from an early age and I think they have all come away with lots of knowledge.’
Louise Malone from Specsavers said: ‘It was brilliant for the kids to come in and see what happens when they have their eyes tested and to know that there is nothing to worry about, as some children can find their first visit to the optician’s overwhelming. It was a great visit, and we hope we can welcome more schools in the near future.’
Any other local schools wishing to take part in a visit to Specsavers Buttercrane should contact Louise or Shauna on 028 3025 0011.
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Driving lessons were on the curriculum at St Joseph's Boy's High School as part of the Extended Schools programme.
Pupils from the Learning Support Centre took part in a series of driving lessons to help develop their road safety capabilities and equip them with the necessary skills involved in driving.
Extended Schools co-ordinator Brendan Fearon thanked Mr Gerry Brown and his daughter Carol for facilitating such a unique learning opportunity and paid additional praise to the KS4 pupils who took part with such enthusiasm and diligence.
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Pupils from St Joseph’s Boys’ HS, Newry have taken part in a series of after school soccer coaching sessions. The project is running in conjunction with Midway FC and Dunganon FC.
Project co-ordinator Mr Brendan Fearon explained that the project was set up ‘to showcase the exceptional talents of pupils and provide meaningful opportunities for them to develop key interpersonal skills including team-work, communication and confidence building.’
Midways FC Chairman Anthony Marron added, ‘Midways FC has always had a strong relationship with St Joseph’s and we are delighted to be involved in this project where the interests and skills of youngsters are nurtured in such a positive way and give them the chance to develop their health and social experiences at the same time.
This project will help to give widespread recognition from major clubs to the talents of the pupils and potentially open doors for those who are keen to progress into a professional level ’
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Bishop McAreavey visited St Josephs to chat to staff and pupils during the build-up to Easter.
He met with pupils from the Learning Support Centre, Irish scholars and members of the Pioneer association before celebrating mass with the 5th year students.
During the mass Bishop McAreavey highlighted the potential for challenges and uncertainty in the lives of people, but reminded the pupils that at such occasions – their faith would guide them through difficult times.
Mr Mallon further reminded the pupils that their time and experiences at St Joseph’s would always stand by them as they face their future educational choices and pathways in life, and praised the pupils for a remarkable and rewarding time that they have had at St Joseph’s.
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Year 12 pupils from St Joseph's Boys' High School in Newry have planted trees around the grounds of their school to commemorate their time and experiences at the school over the last five years.
Project coordinator, Mr Brendan Fearon, explained that the trees are symbolic of the pupils’ growth and development during their post-primary education whilst also recognising the important nurture, support and care they received from staff along the way.
He thanked the Woodland Trust for their assistance in the project and explained that the trees would be an ever present reminder of the pupils for many more years to come. For more images: www.stjosephsnewry.com
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Three former Newry school pupils were among the recipients of DCU McAleese Scholarships named in honour of former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese and Chancellor of DCU, Dr Martin McAleese.
Ellen McConville and Emma Begley former pupils of Our Lady's Grammar School and Keelin Murdock former pupil of Abbey Grammar School were some of the early benefactors of the awards.
Dublin City University (DCU) have just launched the second round of McAleese Scholarships that aim to encourage students from the north to study at the Dublin-based university.
Up to 40 scholarships will be made available to NI students who apply to DCU through the Central Applications Office (CAO) for the academic year 2015/16. The scholarships will allow successful applicants to gain one of 40 additional places across more than 60 DCU undergraduate degree programmes as well as receiving a €1000 scholarship.
The scholarship scheme was launched in 2014 and aims to address the low level of NI students being admitted to universities in the South - currently only 1% of the student population. As the vast majority of NI A-level students take only three A-levels, these students find themselves at a disadvantage under the current CAO scoring system where only a student with four A*s can score maximum points. This means that students with excellent results in three A-levels will find themselves with scores well below the requirement for many programmes at some Irish universities.
Speaking at the announcement of the second round of scholarships, Mary and Martin McAleese said “It is a great honour to be connected with this innovative scheme which endeavours to create a level playing field for students from Northern Ireland who may wish to study at DCU. The scholarships highlight DCU’s commitment to engagement with young people from all parts of the island of Ireland and re-affirm its collaboration in the creation of the Eastern Corridor from Liffey to Lagan.”
Commenting on the awards Ellen McConville, a former student at Our Lady’s Grammar, Newry who received a 2014 Scholarship said “The McAleese Scholarship was a great boost for me coming to DCU. It has a straightforward application process and it’s a great opportunity for any student from Northern Ireland wishing to study in DCU. It definitely confirmed for me that I had made the correct choice in choosing DCU as a university. I also think that the McAleese scholarship highlights DCU’s outreach to students from Northern Ireland.”
The McAleese Scholarships were developed following engagement by DCU with schools and career teachers in Northern Ireland who reported that the current points allocation mechanisms can act as a barrier to A-level students wishing to study in the South. The scholarships are intended as an interim solution to address current imbalances while the Irish Universities Association Task Group on Reform of University Selection and Entry addresses this issue at a sectoral level.
The McAleese scholarships will be awarded on the basis of three A-levels only, with a minimum requirement of 2 ‘A’ and 1 ‘B’ grades. Ten scholarships will be available per faculty, with a maximum of three in any one programme offering. Applicants must meet DCU minimum entry requirements and specific programme requirements. Candidates will also be asked to create a short personal statement that will be used in the event of equal grade ranking of candidates.
The closing date for applications through the Central Applications Office (CAO) is 1st May 2015. To make an application through CAO, visit www.cao.ie.
To apply for the McAleese Scholarships, visit www.dcu.ie/mcaleesescholarship. For further information on applications and entry requirements, visit www.dcu.ie/registry/undergrad.shtml or contact Georgina Roberts, DCU Registry, tel: 00 353 1 700 8995 or email: georgina.roberts@dcu.ie.
For further information on undergraduate programmes, facilities and for campus tours, contact studenthelp@dcu.ie
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Around the World Through Sport is a programme delivered to local schools by the Good Relations Section at Newry and Mourne District Council.
Over 20 young people from Kingsmills, Silverbridge and Whitecross took part. This programme was funded by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister and introduced young people to some of the different cultures and identities that exist in N. Ireland today through the medium of sport.
Young people took part in a range of sports including hurling, basketball and soccer, as well as an Anti Racism awareness session. They also enjoyed a tour of Croke Park and a rugby match in the RDS stadium in Dublin. The overall aim of this programme was to consider the powerful role that sport has to play in promoting good relations, connecting communities from diverse backgrounds, embracing cultural diversity and facilitating community cohesion at a local level.
The Mayor of Newry and Mourne, Councillor Daire Hughes, awarded participants with certificates at a community event in Kingsmills last week and said ‘in addition to the programme itself, the significance of bringing together young people from Kingsmills, Silverbridge and Whitecross cannot be under-estimated. It is something we should all be proud of, it is a tribute to how far we have come and it is an important step towards our shared future’. The Mayor also acknowledged the key role that the three youth groups and partner organisations including the PSNI and SELB played in making ‘Around the World through Sport’ a success.
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Plumbing apprentices Shane Branagan and Gary Doyle from Southern Regional College have started the final stage in getting a dream trip to Brazil.
Gary from Ballyward and Shane from Hilltown are the final two competitors in the selection process to be the UK Worldskills Plumbing representative at the World Skills competition, which will take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil in August. Worldskills is held every two years and in 2015 it will be held in Brazil. Worldskills showcase the skills of young people and over one-thousand 18-25 year olds across the globe compete in over 40 skills events ranging from Aircraft Maintenance and Beauty Therapy to Web Design and Welding.
Gary, who is employed by Kieran Trainor Plumbing and Heating, and Shane who works for Martin Johnston Plumbing and Heating, have defeated competitors from across England, Scotland and Wales and now go head-to-head to see who will go forward to Brazil.
This is the first time that two competitors from Northern Ireland have made it through to this stage of the selection process for Plumbing and what makes it more unique, is that both are from the same College. Tutor Ronnie Ferris stated “This is a credit to the hard work and dedication that both Gary and Shane have put in over the past three years since joining the College. They also require the help of their employers Kieran and Martin for their support and understanding, as quite a lot of time is involved training and travelling.”
Gary and Shane have won numerous competitions and awards at both local and national level since they commenced their apprenticeships and they now go to Brazil and Germany for two-weeks intensive training with the Brazilian and German squads as this is part of the final elimination process. There will be further training events over the coming months one of which will take place at the SRC Greenbank campus in March, before a decision is reached in May.
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Students from Newry schools including the SCR recently attended a performance of the hard hitting play Popping Candy along with Deirdre Magill, Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SCSCT) and Patricia Hamilton, Policing Community Safety Partnership (PCSP)
The hard-hitting, compelling drama exploring the complex and controversial issues surrounding drug use, to a capacity audience of pupils aged 16+ from secondary schools across the District. Councillor Andy Moffett Chair of the PCSP said “the PCSP is aware that drugs known as legal highs are available to young people today and they are often not aware of the physical and mental dangers they may pose. The play illustrates this in an engaging and educative manner"
The play, by Patricia Downey and presented by Spanner In The Works Theatre Company, shines a spotlight on the mental health problems facing our young people today, by following the lives of four young people living away from home for the first time. It also highlights how readily drugs and alcohol are available to young people - no matter what their class, gender, age, or where they live. The play was followed by a question and answer opportunity for pupils.
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