Avondale Community College

Avondale Community College
School Notes
Week beginning May 14th 2012

Co. Wicklow VEC Environmental Awards
This year at the annual Co. Wicklow VEC Environmental Awards Avondale Community College once again enjoyed great success. This environmental awareness programme, now in its fourteenth year, is one of the most prestigious award ceremonies on the school calendar. Ms. Fiona Hartley, CEO of Co. Wicklow VEC acknowledged the value of such events, which encourage excellence, but also independent thinking amongst students. Ms. Hartley drew the analogy between the awards evening at the Brockagh Centre and the leading educationalist, Edward de Bono’s, ‘Palace of Thinking’. The Avondale cohort most definitely had their ‘thinking caps’ on as they produced a variety of interesting and impressive projects. Their efforts were justly rewarded as they collected a total of seven awards on the night.

• In the Junior Built Environment category Mark Roche and Cormac Ward collected the First Place prize with their project ‘The Slurry Meter’
• First Year students James Murphy and Conor Sheehan were acknowledged as they received Third Place with their project ‘The Crusher’.
• In The Natural Environment category Transition Year students Emma Curley, Padraig McCoy, David Ward and Amy Murphy were awarded the Second Place prize for their ‘Wild and Slow’ project.
• Second Year students presented an interesting project entitled ‘So You Think You’re Safe on Facebook’. They collected the Second Place prize in The Social Environment category for their great efforts.
• In The Cultural Environment category Jenny Doyle and Laura Kavanagh collected the Third place prize for their ‘Scannan Gaeilge’.
• Transition Year students Antonia Heffernan and Lorna Driver were rewarded as they collected the First Place prize in The Built Environment category for their project ‘The Journey of an Old P.C.’.
• First Place prize in one of the most coveted awards of the night, The Ed Fogarty Road Safety Project, was scooped by Third Year students Daire Flood and Cillian Kavanagh.

Keynote speaker on the night, Martin Phillips, former Education Officer of Co. Wicklow VEC noted that these awards encourage students to participate in active learning. This active and independent learning was definitely evident on the night as the tenacious spirit, hard work and dedication of these students was rewarded. Well done to all students who participated and especially to those who received awards on the night!

Young Social Innovator Success!
On Wednesday 9th May, 17 students from Avondale Community College attended the Young Social Innovators Annual National Speak-Out in the City West Hotel Dublin and were delighted and honoured to receive a national award in the ‘Using Technology to Change the World’ category. The Transition Year students presented their project ‘A Book’s Life’ which will actively improve literacy and understanding amongst students. The Avondale group were chosen to go forward to the National Speak – Out, following their impressive presentation at the regional competition. This was the first year Avondale Community College have entered the Young Social Innovator competition, which has made the achievement more rewarding. The trophy was presented to the students and their YSI guide Ms. Noone by the CEO of Vodafone Ireland who sponsored the award. Well done to all students, as they most definitely put the YSI slogan ‘Believe in it. Act on it’ into practice!


Super Sevens
This year the Avondale Community College Camogie Team won the Super Sevens competition with a comprehensive victory over St. Kevin’s Community College, Dunlavin. Well done to the girls!

Athletics
Following Avondale Community College’s recent success at the East Leinster Athletics Competition, Katy Conroy, Amaris Borel, Amy Murphy, Liam Kinsella and Patrick Kavanagh have qualified for the Leinster Finals on Wednesday. Well done to the students and the best of luck in the finals!


Important Dates for End of Year Celebrations
Each year at Avondale Community College the awards and achievements of our students are celebrated. This year’s end of year school celebrations will take place on the following dates. The Excellence Awards Celebrations will be held in the school on Wednesday 16th May at 7.30 pm. Junior and Senior Academic and Endeavour Awards Celebrations will be held during school hours on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd May. Our Transition Year Celebration will take place on Monday 28th May at 7.30 pm. The Sixth Year Graduation will be held in the school on Thursday 24th May. Parents and guardians are invited to each of these events. We look forward to celebrating the successes and achievements of our students on these occasions.