Talking rubbish at Environmental Youth Speak 2015!
Mon, June 29, 2015
Talking rubbish at Environmental Youth Speak 2015! Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council organized a competition, ‘Environmental Youth Speak 2015’ to encourage young people to become more environmentally aware. The local heat of the competition took place in Coleraine on 3rd March 2015, was designed to give students an opportunity to research and debate environmental issues and build greater awareness of sustainability. Now in its fifteenth year, Environmental Youth Speak is an annual public speaking competition open to pupils throughout Northern Ireland. Coleraine schools performed extremely well in the competition with school girl, Shreya Ghaie of Coleraine High School taking first place in the North West Regional Final of Environmental Youth Speak 2015, for the second time! Mia Ramage of DH Christie Memorial Primary School took the junior winners prize, representing the former Council of Coleraine, in the competition final held in Lisburn. Environmental Youth Speak enables participating pupils to improve their communication skills, develop self-confidence and articulate reasoned arguments based on environmental facts. Fiona Watters, Waste and Recycling Officer at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, who organised the local heat, said, “The standard of speeches in this year’s competition were excellent. It was obvious all the entrants had put in a lot of hard work researching their topics and preparing their delivery. I’d like to congratulate and thank everyone who took part, especially Mia and Shreya.” The junior topic discussed was, “A day in the life of a waste super hero” and senior topic was, “Food glorious food – why waste it?”The following students from throughout the Coleraine area relating these topics were,Katie Archibald and Korben Law from Harpur’s Hill Primary School; Mia Ramage and D’Arcy Peacock from DH Christie Memorial Primary School; Conor McNicholl and Mary-Thea McGlinchey from St Patrick’s and St Joseph’s Primary School; Simone Riddell and Chloe Jenkins, St Patrick’s Primary School, Portrush; Caoimhe McErlaine and Anna Walsh from St Columba’s Primary School (Kilrea); Ciara O’Brien and Molly Neill from St Joseph’s College (Coleraine); Matthew McAllister and James Brownlee from Coleraine Academical Institution; Shreya Ghaie and Abigail Lavery from Coleraine High School; and Anna Brolly with Eve Gardiner from Loreto College Coleraine. For further information on environmental issues and recycling, please contact Environmental Services Department on 028 7034 7272 or visit www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk ENDS