Ella and Hanna, sixth-class students at Holy Family National School in Co. Carlow, have been named national winners of a poster competition to raise awareness of carbon monoxide and the dangers that it can pose in our homes. Designed for 11-12 year old students, the competition was run by Gas Networks Ireland, in partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland (JAI), and invited entries from primary school students who had recently completed the ‘Energize’ programme. The initiative delivers engaging, hands-on science lessons in classrooms around Ireland to build early interest in STEM and encourage progression to second-level education, with carbon monoxide awareness forming a principal element of the programme.
Presenting an iPad to Holy Family National School for use in the winning classroom, Gas Networks Ireland’s sustainability graduate Meadhbh said: “After completing the ‘Energize’ STEM educational programme, the poster competition gives students an opportunity to showcase their creativity while raising awareness about carbon monoxide safety in the home. The competition received numerous amazing entries from all over Ireland, but Ella and Hanna’s submission stood out the most.”
Sinéad Bradley, Junior Achievement Ireland’s Training and Programme Coordinator said: “Junior Achievement Ireland bridges education and the world of work to support students in developing essential skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving. We were delighted to see so many entries coming through for this competition and well done to the winning team for putting all their new skills to good use in developing their winning entry.”
To have Energize, the five-module STEM and sustainability educational initiative, delivered in your school, please contact JAI at info@jai.ie.
