LOCAL students were celebrating recently after taking part in the 10th year of the Howth/Sutton Transition Year Programme.
This specialised programme, sponsored by the two parishes (Howth and Sutton), aims to foster community involvement while helping the students in their personal growth and development.
The seven morning sessions spent with the students were led by two youth evangelisation officers from Diocesan House, Michelle Manley and Siobhán Tighe.
The highlights for the students were hosting a tea and bingo morning with retired parishioners and joining the Christmas party in the local HSE-sponsored Kilrock House, singing all the popular Christmas carols.
Congratulations are due to all the students who received their certificates of achievement at the final session on May 18.
The students said it was a “really great programme” and they loved doing things in their local community.
The greatest challenge facing the church today, and indeed society as a whole, is to reach out to connect, engage and involve youth. With this in mind, the Howth Parish Youth Group initiated the successful Transition year programme 10 years ago.