Rathfarnham students celebrate Gaisce Silver Award achievement

THE proud students of Loreto High School Beaufort – Rathfarnham took their place among 148 young people from throughout Ireland who recently achieved their Gaisce Silver Award.

Gaisce – The President’s Award held one of its largest ever Silver Award ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of the young people at the O’Reilly Theatre in Dublin.

Among those being presented with their Silver Award were 119 young people hailing from 29 Dublin schools.

Silver Awardees who were honoured on the night hailed from nine counties across the four provinces of Ireland.

They were celebrated for their commitment to personal development through community involvement, improving their personal skills and increasing their physical activity.

Each awardee successfully completed at least 26 weeks across these three Gaisce challenge areas and undertook a three-day adventure journey.

For their adventure journey, Silver Awardees completed either a 50km walk or a 190km cycle.

Speakers during the ceremony included Olivia Porter, a Gaisce Awardee who received her Gold Award from President Michael D Higgins last December.

The event was MC’d by Spin 103.8 DJs Graham and Nathan and took place in the O’Reilly Theatre.

The awards were presented by Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Gaisce.

Speaking about the achievements of the Awardees, Yvonne McKenna, CEO of Gaisce said: “I heartily congratulate this evening’s awardees on their achievements.

“It’s fantastic to be honouring so many young people for their dedication to personal development, and I think it’s a testament to the tenacity of young people today that we have so many awardees here.

“I hope they have made lasting memories and gained invaluable self-knowledge through their Gaisce Journey.

“Completing a Silver Award has required a significant amount of dedication and effort from each of them.”

She added: “I would also like to congratulate their wonderful President’s Award Leaders, who have guided them along their path to Silver.

“Our President’s Award Leaders truly are the lifeblood of the Gaisce programme, without whom there would be no Gaisce.

“Today’s Awardees aren’t only incredible ambassadors for Gaisce, but also their families and communities, whom I’m sure will incredibly proud of them.”
Speaking about the ceremony, Gaisce Gold Awardee and speaker on the night, Olivia Porter said: “I’d like to congratulate all of the Silver Awardees on their amazing success.

“I received my Gaisce Gold Award last December and I can’t convey the level of achievement I felt during the ceremony.

“I know that many of the awardees here tonight will relate to that experience.

Doing Gaisce really pushed me out of my comfort zone and shaped me to be more self-aware and open to new things.

“I think undertaking Gold made me realise how much I enjoy improving myself and that has really motivated me in other areas of my life.

“I hope the Silver Awardees tonight take the next step on their Gaisce journey and feel the benefits I felt from undertaking Gold.”

Gaisce – The President’s Award is a personal development programme for young people which enhances confidence and wellbeing through participation in personal, physical and community challenges.
Since its inception in 1985 over 178,000 young Irish people have completed a Gaisce Award, including former Rose of Tralee Maria Walsh and Irish rugby international Robbie Henshaw.

Born in Athlone, Henshaw grew up in the suburb Coosan and was a student at Marist College in the town.