Pupils find practical ways to tackle poverty

THERE was no paucity of ideas when primary school children were asked to tackle one of the most persistent and perplexing problems in the world today — poverty.

The Irish Aid Our World Global Schools’ Awards, supported by the Irish Examiner, saw thousands of pupils from third to sixth class set out to explore the reasons behind poverty and find out how wealthier countries can help eliminate it.

The final shortlist, published here, was chosen after months of deliberation by a judging panel drawn from the education, aid and media sectors. All those included will receive an award at a special ceremony in Farmleigh House in Dublin at the end of February, where the winning projects and other eye-catching entries will be on display.

One of the entries will be selected to receive a special overall award and the Irish Aid Our World Global Schools’ Award trophy, and will have the chance to explain their work on camera for a DVD being made for circulation to schools thinking of entering the competition next year.

The annual awards were devised as part of a growing emphasis on development education at primary school level and are focusing on the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals agreed by international treaty in the year 2000 which laid down targets for improving the lives of those in developing countries by 2015.

Number one on the list of eight goals is to “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” and this year’s competition asked pupils to examine in particular the causes and effects of poverty and research solutions to the problem.

Pupils had a choice of presenting their findings in a variety of media including scrapbooks, magazines, posters, art, music and video presentations and the entrants took up every option available.

At the end of the judging process, however, it was those students who demonstrated the clearest grasp of the subject matter and made the best effort to come up with practical steps that ordinary people like themselves could take towards providing solutions who made it on to the winners’ list.

Those who will be coming to the winners’ ceremony, in no particular order, are:

St Rynagh’s NS, Banagher, Co Offaly — 5th & 6th Class; teacher, Clionadh Ryan; project, “Realise & React”

St Joseph’s NS, Macroom, Co Cork — 6th Class, Máiréad Fitzpatrick, “Equality”

Castleknock NS, Castleknock, Dublin 15 — 4th & 5th Class, Amy-Ruth O’Connell, “Powerful Poverty”

Scoil Barra, Inishmore, Ballincollig, Co Cork — 5th Class, Ms Hunt, “Madagascar”

Waterford Educate Together NS, Tycor, Waterford — 5th & 6th Class, Katie Ryan, “A Chance, A Hope”

St Patrick’s Boys NS, Lombard Street, Galway — 3rd Class, Mary Eustace, “Operation School”

Clonburris NS, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 — 6th Class, Paula Galvin, “Gold — The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”

Le Cheile NS, Drogheda, Co Louth — 3rd Class, Maureen Lambe, “A Day in the Life of Elma”

St Manchan’s NS, Mohill, Co Leitrim — 3rd Class, Helen Feely, “Haiti”

St Manchan’s NS, Mohill, Co Leitrim — 3rd Class, Helen Feely, “Ghana and Fair Trade”

Scoil Naomh Brid, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan — 4th Class, Bronwyn Burke, “Our World”

The name of the overall winning school and a full report on the awards ceremony will be carried in the Irish Examiner on February 28.