John and Edward reward Jack and Jill fundraisers

THERE were shocked faces and screams of delight at St Colmcille’s National School, Knocklyon and Presentation Convent, Drogheda yesterday as X Factor double-act, Jedward, paid students a visit.

Pupils at both schools were among more than 2,000 schools which collected old mobile phones for the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation in exchange for interactive whiteboards.

The 1,300 students at St Colmcille’s School in Knocklyon collected a massive 2,293 mobile phones. And pupils of Presentation Primary School in Drogheda collected the most phones per capita with a total of 2,137 mobile phones collected by its 364 pupils.

Over 2,000 schools nationwide signed up to the Jack & Jill school fundraising initiative over the past two years, with more than 300,000 old mobiles already collected.

To date the competition has led to more than €2 million worth of interactive whiteboards, laptops and other classroom equipment being installed in Irish classrooms.

The recycled mobile phones will raise much-needed funds for the foundation which provides home nursing care and respite for 300 children nationwide with brain damage. St Colmcille’s principal Padraig O’Neill said: “This was a huge community project involving pupils, parents, grandparents and teachers, all inspired by the opportunity to raise funds for the Jack & Jill Foundation and the great work they do.”