Waterford school, Meanscoil San Nioclás, has been recognised internationally for its projects on sustainability, cultural diversity, and global citizenship.
The school's Art Teacher, Maria O'Donovan was awarded with three different awards on behalf of the whole school.
They were a European Innovative Teaching Award which showcase outstanding teaching practices carried out as part of Erasmus+ projects, an eTwinning National Quality Label which provides recognition for teachers and students who have demonstrated inventiveness in teaching and learning, whether in the area of languages, of innovation, or of digital transition, and a European Language Label which highlights and awards innovative projects in the field of language learning, teaching and promotion across all sectors of education.
Students from the school in An Rinn partnered with students in Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey to produce a project on sustainability.
The ‘Our Sustainability Journey’ project shared sustainable practices that promote Climate Action and caring for the environment. Focusing on the use of language to respond to climate themes, each school developed a bi-lingual ‘Sustainability’ dictionary of terms associated with Sustainability.
‘Ar dTuras Inbhuanaithe’ was a student-led project involving 62 first and second-year students who undertook a challenge set by the Global Citizenship and Green committee to create a publication that highlights sustainability while promoting Irish language learning. Students created an online magazine to achieve this.
The third project, ‘Eágóir Shóisialta ar fud an domhain’ explored themes of cultural diversity, climate change and forced migration. Students created an Irish language animation communicating the message: ‘Cultural diversity elevates our own lives and creates a more welcoming and united world.’
"Winning the award is great for the school. It provides concrete recognition for teachers and students who have achieved excellence through each winning project," Maria told WLR News.
The projects also won two other awards. Those are the Eco UNESCO Young Environmentalist Award and the Creative Bursary from Griffith College and the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland.
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