Pupils from Moyvore NS representing Leinster at the semi-finals of the Minecraft competition in Dublin on March 21 (back from left) Ryan McCaughey, Jake McKnight, Caoimhe McCaughey, Luke Finn, Sean Whelan, Holly Moran, Daisy Whelan and Nicole Mulvaney; (middle row) Megan Mulvaney, Liam Mahon, Joseph Maguire, Emma Maguire, Keira Burke Walsh and Andrea Reid; (front) Robbie Byrne, Jamie Murtagh, Kyle Creagh Dillon and Rachel Finn.

Moyvore are Leinster champions in ‘Ireland’s Future is Mine’

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Nineteen students from Moyvore NS have been declared Leinster champions in the ‘Ireland’s Future is Mine’ competition and now go on to the all-Ireland finals to be held at the end of the month, and televised at a later date.

The children were introduced to the competition by their teacher, Inez Kenny, who retired last February after many years as teacher and principal of the school. However, even after she retired, Ms Kenny continued to work with the group alongside special educational needs teacher, Ita Seery.

The present principal, Joanne Maguire, said that this was a special project for the Moyvore pupils as it was the last one they participated in with Mrs Kenny “who can take huge credit for guiding and supporting them in their preparation”.

Ms Maguire explained that the competition is a national digital skills challenge designed to encourage primary school children to use Minecraft Education Edition and help shape Ireland’s sustainable future.

The Moyvore Minecraft Builders (from left), Kyle Creagh Dillon, Rachel Finn, Robbie Byrne, Orla Stephenson and Jamie Murtagh.

This joint initiative between Microsoft Ireland and RTÉ Jnr was launched last September. The 19 pupils from third, fourth, fifth and sixth classes in Moyvore took part in six weekly online episodes, learning how to use Minecraft Education Edition through fun challenges.

Then the details of the competition were revealed and the students set about trying to re-imagine Moyvore village in the future. Over several months, the students conducted research, interviewed local environmentalist, James Ham, and planned and designed a sustainable version of Moyvore.

They submitted their video entry in mid-February and by the end of that month they were declared Leinster champions.

The group progressed to the semi-final on March 21 in the DreamSpace suite at Microsoft, Dublin. Representing Leinster, Moyvore defeated the Munster champions in an epic battle of creativity and design.

They are now preparing for the all-Ireland final in which they go up against Connaught. It will be filmed in the RTÉ studios on April 28 and televised at a later stage.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Ms Maguire said the competition has been enjoyable for the children and has been an incredible journey for them so far. She said it has been beneficial for them and extremely important in developing vital future skills like creative thinking, problem solving and overall creativity.

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