Local school hosts major celebration

TRINITY Comprehensive School in Ballymun opened its doors earlier this month to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) Demonstration Library Project.

The celebration was an opportunity to showcase the work of JCSP students throughout Ireland and applaud school librarians on the work and impact they have on teachers and students.

The JCSP is separate from the Junior Certificate and is designed to encourage students to have initiative to take part in several projects and do better in their exams.

The programme gives students hands-on experience in a number of ways, from meeting authors and rap artists to taking field trips to interesting places like Newgrange.

The idea is to inspire young people and show them learning takes place not only in the classroom, but everywhere you go.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn attended the celebrations and spoke about the success of the programme and how literacy can help many people during their lifetime.

“The project will have my full support,

? he said.

Principal of Trinity Comprehensive, Pat O’Dowd, also spoke at the event.

“It is an honour for any school doing JCSP to host the event,

? he said.

“I am delighted Trinity Comprehensive was chosen to get the students involved in the process and pay tribute to Joe Kelly, the school librarian.

?

Trinity Comprehensive student and budding author, Martin Steers from Poppintree, also gave a speech during the ceremony and later spoke with fellow author David Redmond from Santry about how they were asked by Mr Kelly to take part in a book project for JCSP.

The students had no idea how much success they would achieve from writing a book and were surprised by the huge positive response it got. They thought their book

‘In Pieces’ was going to flop and would only be a couple of pages long at the beginning. However, they loved the process of creating the book from coming up with initial ideas to visiting the National History Museum and Glasnevin Cemetery for inspiration.

The advice they want to give to new students starting the JCSP next year is to

“take their time and don’t be afraid to express ideas to others

?.

In Pieces was published on May 28 2013 and will be added to the junior certificate syllabus at the start of the next school year.