National plaudits for Rochfortbridge students
As reported in recent editions of the Westmeath Examiner, the students of St. Joseph`s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, have been hard at work at a project entitled “Feeling Low? Let Someone Know”, a mental health project aimed at raising awareness about depression and loneliness among young people.
On Thursday of last week, May 8, the students were rewarded for their efforts with the news that they have been named as joint runners-up at the 2008 Young Social Innovators Awards, sharing the award with Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Blarney, Co. Cork. The Rochfortbridge contingent weren`t the only Westmeath winners at the annual event, with Our Lady`s Bower, Athlone winning the Trócaire sponsored “Making Our World One World” award for their project “Fair Play”.
The Westmeath students were among 6,000 young people from 220 schools and educational centres across the country who participated in YSI 2008.
St. Joseph`s, under the tutelage of teacher, Niamh Sheridan, have spent the school year putting together a multi-layered campaign to raise awareness about depression in Westmeath. The students also took the opportunity to present their research findings - which culminated in the release of an interesting survey - to a number of conferences. They also appeared on RTÉ`s cultural news programme `Nationwide` to mark the launch of their wallet card campaign. Now in its sixth year, Young Social Innovators is a project-based social action programme that involves young people tackling social issues that concern them identifying and, where possible, implementing their solutions. Four hundred projects were completed as part of this year`s programme, with 200 selected for the annual two-day showcase at the RDS. Over 20,000 young people have participated in Young Social Innovators since it was founded by Rachel Collier and Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy to develop social awareness and activism amongst young people. Young Social Innovators is funded entirely through sponsorship. In addition to its main sponsor, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, YSI receives funding from the Health Service Executive, the Office for the Minister for Children, Anglo Irish Bank, Bedminster International, the Department of Education, the Combat Poverty Agency, the Department of Social and Family Affairs, Irish Aid, Irish Sisters of Charity, Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Trocaire and KPMG. Milltownpass car boot sale Renowned Irish athlete set for Rochfortbridge Mr. Coghlan is a four-time Irish Olympian and world championship winning athlete who set world records for running the indoor mile in 1979, 1981 and 1983. The record stood until it was broken by Morocco`s Hicham El Guerrouj in 1997. In 1994 he became the first - and to date only - man over the age of 40 to run the sub 4 minute mile. Permission sought for Rochfortbridge extension Rochfortbridge I.C.A `Bealtaine` Festival Celebrations` On Tuesday, May 6, the group travelled to the Tuar Ard Heritage Centre in Moate to see the film `Grow Your Own`, which is being shown specially for Bealtaine 2008. The ladies were also treated to a welcome cup of tea and refreshments before the film. As reported in recent editions of the Westmeath Examiner, the students of St. Joseph`s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, have been hard at work at a project entitled “Feeling Low? Let Someone Know”, a mental health project aimed at raising awareness about depression and loneliness among young people. On Thursday of last week, May 8, the students were rewarded for their efforts with the news that they have been named as joint runners-up at the 2008 Young Social Innovators Awards, sharing the award with Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál, Blarney, Co. Cork. The Rochfortbridge contingent weren`t the only Westmeath winners at the annual event, with Our Lady`s Bower, Athlone winning the Trócaire sponsored “Making Our World One World” award for their project “Fair Play”. The Westmeath students were among 6,000 young people from 220 schools and educational centres across the country who participated in YSI 2008. St. Joseph`s, under the tutelage of teacher, Niamh Sheridan, have spent the school year putting together a multi-layered campaign to raise awareness about depression in Westmeath. The students also took the opportunity to present their research findings - which culminated in the release of an interesting survey - to a number of conferences. They also appeared on RTÉ`s cultural news programme `Nationwide` to mark the launch of their wallet card campaign