Busy end to year at De La Salle College Beneavin
It has been a very busy end to the year at De La Salle College Beneavin, with students and staff undertaking many activities that reflect their strong Lasallian values.
Among the events to take place were Culture Awareness and Anti-Racism Week, Pay it Forward Day and a Dawn Hike for suicide awareness, while they also won awards for enterprise and the Worldwise Global Schools Programme.
Culture Awareness and Anti-Racism Week
Beneavin celebrates diversity in the school and promotes inclusion of all students. For this reason, this year they dedicated a full week in April to celebrating the different cultures in our school. Some aspects of the week were organised by the student council and some by the Lasallian Animation Team.
There were guest speakers and workshops including SARI (Sport Against Racism Ireland) to cement this positive integration and social inclusion through sport. The Lasallian animation team organised culture day as part of the week’s activities.
First years completed and displayed projects about various cultures and the De La Salle Hall was awash with colour with flags representing the various nationalities in the school. There was also a Passover meal attended by second years where they had an authentic Passover experience.
The student council organised some competitions to engage students over the course of the week.
Pay It Forward Day
On the 8th April Beneavin De La Salle College College had their annual Pay it Forward Day. The aim was to make the day that bit brighter for each student and staff member. The idea behind ‘Pay it Forward Day’ is that when someone does a kind gesture for you, you pass it on or pay it forward.
This year we had an ice cream van and an Easter eggs for everyone (staff and students). Staff even took the time to write positive notes for all students to accompany their eggs. Staff were also treated to some goodies from a visiting coffee van.
Student Enterprise
This year Beneavin De La Salle College had some great success in student enterprise.
The mini-company programmes which have gone from strength to strength and as part of the transition year programme they run a year-long module. As part of this module the mini companies are entered into two competitions - The student enterprise awards which is run by Dublin City Council and the ‘NFTE Programme which is run by Foroige (a youth development organisation in Ireland).
Students are encouraged to come up with a new product or service idea .They are introduced to a world of innovation, where they are responsible for their own production, Financing, Marketing and selling of their product. They learn skills such as team-work, creative thinking, organisation and communication skills.
This year Calum Byrne and Kyle Keenan reached the finals of the Dublin City student enterprise awards and were presented with the Margaret Farrell Award for innovation, adaptability and creativity. The Margaret Farrell Award is a perpetual trophy awarded to a new business every year and represents adaptability and innovation. Margaret Farrell herself was instrumental in the Local Enterprise Office in Dublin City and this award is dedicated to her memory.
Their mini company, selling copper lamps, has been hugely successful and continues to go from strength to strength. They even brought their product to the RDS craft fair where they got great interest. At the recent TY graduation the Chair of the Dublin City Student Enterprise Programme Pat Walsh and Amy, the local schools' coordinator presented Kyle and Calum with the Margaret Farrell Perpetual Trophy.
Dawn Hike
On Saturday 7th May students and staff in Beneavin De La Salle College took part in a Dawn Hike in aid Finglas Suicide Network. This ran in conjunction with the Darkness into Light events nationwide. Students of Transition Year, 5th and 6th year as well as staff took part in the early morning hike on Scarr Mountain meeting at 2.30am. The early start was worth it for the spectacular views of the sunset. A total of €640 was raised for this truly worthwhile and essential service.
Worldwide Global Schools Award
Worldwise Global Schools is a programme that aims to integrate Global Citizenship Education into all of aspects of teaching and learning at post-primary level. This year in Beneavin De La Salle College the transition years have been drivers of Global Citizenship Education in the areas of Climate Change, Climate Injustice and Sustainability.
In April, the boys in transition year organised a very impactful Climate Change Awareness Day in the school to share their learning with the rest of the school community. In recognition of their work, along with smaller projects carried out by other year groups throughout the year, Beneavin De La Salle College has been awarded the Diplomatic Passport Award from Worldwise Global Schools for excellence in Global Citizenship Education.
This is with huge thanks to Mr. D. Kelly and to the work done by the TY classes of 2022 throughout the school year. At the recent TY graduation Mr. Kelly along with Ryan Cahill and Martin Byrne accepted the Award on behalf of the Transition Years and the whole school community.
