Biodiversity Week Green Schools Seminar

On Tuesday 19th October, I attended a training seminar in preparation for our new green flag this year.

As part of green schools we try to get a green flag every two years. So far we have gotten the water, travel and energy flags. This year we are going for the biodiversity flag. As part of getting the flag we have to organise a day or week centered around our theme. This year our theme is biodiversity.

To achieve this goal we had a list of things we need to achieve including biodiversity surveys and a plan for a specific biodiversity week. We also had projects such as updating and changing the recycling signs on the bins to better match the changed rules on what you can and can't recycle. As part of biodiversity week we made a biodiversity form to see how much the school knows about biodiversity.

As well as this, we did a bake sale and a non-uniform day on the Friday as well. There was also an instagram competition run by Luke Conaghan on the Newpark Greenschools instagram account. The main focus of the week was biodiversity found in Ireland.

We called the Friday, Bee Day, because if the students decided to take part in the non-uniform day, they had to wear black and yellow (and pay €2). All money raised in the bake sale and the non-uniform day will go towards the Irish Wildlife Trust.

The winner of the instagram competition was Gavin MacAonghusa. The hugely successful bakesale managed to raise over €300 for Irish Wildlife Trust. Definitely a victory for biodiversity in Ireland.

By Isobel Smiley, Sarah Glanville

Our flag this year will be the biodiversity flag! In order to get our next green flag, we have to complete seven steps, some of which we have already done. Some of the things we must do are to send out a survey on biodiversity to the school. This was done and was sent out to all of the form teachers who were then asked to send it to the students. Another thing we have to do is compile a habitat map of the school.

Overall, the seminar was super enlightening and definitely didn’t make me fall asleep.

By Isobel Smiley, TY

Can’t Touch This!

and Hannah Phelan, TY

On Friday 21st, our class got to join in on the music video that was being made by the Plastic Outta the Park campaign. I, being me, went straight to the back of the theatre but somehow I ended up being put near the front. Everyone at the front was given Plastic Outta the Park t-shirts.

Oh yes. I forgot to mention. There was a dance routine. A DANCE ROUTINE! After the traumatic experience of having to dance in front of a camera, I thought I was done. But no. We then had to find teachers around the school to get them to dance with us. We got Mr Doyles (both of them), Ms Devis, Mr Norton, Mr Adams, Mr Daly, Mr Lennon and Molly. I also forgot one more thing. The dance was to Can't touch this by MC Hammer.

We’re hoping it will help to spread awareness of our campaign Don’t Touch This Plastic!

By Isobel Smiley, TY

Gold Week

Some of you reading this probably don’t know a bright and cheerful girl named Mia Seligman. She was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in late August last year and she died in December 2021. She was an amazing person, she was always kind and nice. Her optimism inspired everyone.

We want to thank the entire school community and the dedicated 3rd years who organised these events. This couldn’t have been possible without them.

By Viktoriia Kychan and Anabel Warshager, 3rd Year

Goal Jersey Day

This year a group of Newpark students decided to organise Gold Week in our school. This consisted of events such as a bake sale, a sea swim, a dance workshop, and a dress-up day. These events all aimed to raise money for the Childhood Cancer society. Some of Mia’s friends decided to join in and help.

“From the 26th to 29th of September, myself and a group of 3rd years ran Gold Week – a week of fundraisers and activities in aid of Childhood Cancer Ireland.

We chose this week as the last week of childhood cancer month and ran it also in memory of our friend Mia, who died to cancer back in December. On Monday we had a bake sale.

Tuesday was a dance workshop after school.

On Wednesday we had a sea swim after school for 3rd years, and we had a great turnout despite the very cold water.

Friday was a non-uniform day where we asked students to wear gold colour clothing- the colour of the childhood cancer ribbon, and bring in two euro for Childhood Cancer Ireland. The entire proceeds of the week totalled a little over twothousand euro going to Childhood Cancer Ireland.

Overall the week was a lot of fun to organise and to participate in. I know we all had a good time and really enjoyed the experience.

We couldn’t have done any of it without Ms Devis’ help, so a huge thank you to her for everything”

By Allegra Zipser 3rd Year

On Thursday the 13th October in the run-up to GOAL Jersey Day, two representatives from GOAL came in to talk to us about GOAL and how it helps people around the globe. GOAL is a non-profit organisation which works in fourteen different countries. They provide and distribute food, water and supplies to people who need them.

They were very kind and I thought their presentation was eye opening, as it showed us that many people around the world are really struggling and don’t have basic human needs. This is often because of famine and war and this is where GOAL comes into play.

On Friday, everyone wore in their favourite jerseys and we raised €615.

By David Rankin, 2nd Year