This article is from page 33 of the 2008-02-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 33 JPG
PROVING that education is about more than reading, writing and ‘rith- matic, students in the transition year in Scariff Community College have been throwing themselves – literally – into the wider learning experience.
The students have just finished a three-day stay in Petersburg Outdoor Education Centre in County Mayo. Outdoor cooking and dining were part of the experience.
The youngsters abandoned dry land for kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, gorge walking and raft building.
Back on terra firma they went hill walking, orienteering and abseiling.
‘The weather was in our favour and this along with the positive at- titude of everybody left us with great memories,’ said co-ordinator Liam Sie
On another outing, the students learned what happens when you get on the wrong side of the law.
They took part in a mock court tri- al conduced by Mr James Fahy, SC, and did a law examination certified by Dublin’s Portobello College.
aUCe NAUOMCOLUUM MD SM Sy IDONICM Lol MmCIAULO(ONAS see jury Selection, a criminal trial and they had a very sobering visit to the cells as well as alook inside the van that transports prisoners be- tween the court and the jail.
“Something I hope will be repeated only in a professional capacity,” said Liam Coyle.
“We witnessed the full cross-sec- tion of life,’ said one of the students.
“Court staff, especially Ned, were very helpful in explaining proceed- ings and we are grateful to them.”
The nineteen students have also passed first, second and third ECDL tests.
The transition year tour, with fifth years, is to Barcelona on March 12 and students are preparing for work experience.
A programme on health and life- style issues devised by college chap- lain, Geraldine Condren went ahead
during the winter months and later an evening for parents was arranged so that they could hear presentations from contributors to the programme and open doors for discussions, with their children on issues that had been eI SLe B
Students took part in discussion workshops on_ relationships and sexuality, including an information session on STIs, the contributor be- ing Dr Conor Magee; on emotional health handled by Gerry Dobbins of the Outreach Programme of the Samaritans, and on Christian values and young people, directed by Fr Brendan Quinlivan, college chap- FETEOe