Transition Times: The Junior Cert's in the bag. The Leaving is a lifetime away. You are about to embark on your most exciting year at school, involving an action-packed programme of sport, social work, arts, work experience and personal development. Louise Holden selects some highlights of the months ahead
SPORT
The Gaelic Athletic Association has just completed the pilot phase of a new physical-education module for transition year, in association with the Second Level Support Service. Six schools sampled the 27-week sports programme last year; this year its mix of training, sports management, refereeing skills and health education will be offered nationally, free of charge, to all schools offering transition year. For further information contact Jimmy Darcy at GAA headquarters, at Croke Park, on 01-8192300. The Leinster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union organised its first transition-year league in 2004, and the venture was a great success. The new league, which follows the Australian Super 12 scoring system, runs from October to Christmas. It's the first time that transition-year rugby enthusiasts have been offered their own competition. The rules of the league have been modified to give players the chance to work on their handling skills and to prepare for senior rugby, in fifth year. Twenty five teams took part last year, competing in three divisions.
POLITICS
Transition-year students who are interested in politics may now have the support of the Union of Secondary Students in their efforts to foster school democracy. The union has been working on a new guide to setting up school councils, based on research it has collected from hundreds of secondary schools. Irish students are far behind their European counterparts when it comes to school councils; transition year is an ideal time to get involved. For information on establishing and running student councils, check out www.student council.ie. The USS website is www. ussonline.net. For this year's competition, the National Forum on Europe is asking transition-year students to create websites that outline their ideas about where the European Union should be heading. No computer know-how is required, as you can design the site on paper. The prize has yet to be announced, but in previous years class trips abroad have been the norm. The winning site will go live on the forum's website next April. A public-speaking award is also on offer. All secondary schools will receive the forum's latest DVD and a brochure with details of the competition. Visit www.forumoneurope.ie for more details.
ENVIRONMENT
Blackrock Eduation Centre has created a website, www.trails.ie, to help students bring wildlife to the school yard. Even if you have only a scrap of grass or a square of concrete to work with, you can provide a wildlife haven in your school. One of the masterminds behind the site, the environmentalist Paddy Madden, has spent 10 years helping schools to plant native hedgerows, develop woodland and pond areas and attract butterflies, rare birds and reptiles to their grounds. If you are interested in improving the natural environment at your school, start by visiting www.trails.ie, which was created in association with Airfield Trust. You could also invite an environmentalist to visit your school through the Heritage in Schools scheme (www.heritagecouncil.ie, or call the INTO on 01-8047700 for a brochure). An Taisce's Green-Schools award programme ties in very neatly with a wildlife-garden project; visit www.antaisce.org for details of how to become a green school.
MUSIC
Last spring Opera Ireland launched a project designed to introduce transition-year students to the world of arias and greasepaint. One hundred and sixty students were invited to dress rehearsals of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Zemlinsky's A Florentine Tragedy and Mozart's The Magic Flute at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Students also got a chance to tour the backstage area and interview the performers and crew. Opera Ireland is extending the programme this year and offering workshops with singers before the dress rehearsals. If you are interested in taking part in the winter programme, contact Nicola Moore at 01-4786041 or visit www.operaireland.com. The Blast:Beat challenge returns this year; schools north and south are invited to manage and promote a school band as part of the mini-company programme for transition year. The competition culminates in a national battle of the bands; the winners will be offered a record deal. The winning management companies get cash prizes. For more information visit www.aibblastbeat.com.
CLASSICS
The teachers of the Classical Association of Ireland have created a pack for schools that would like to offer a classical-studies module for transition year. The free CD-Rom includes three 10-week modules, one on the ancient Olympic Games, one on Pompeii and one on Roman sport and entertainment. The pack is available from post@cai-teachers.com.
MEDIA
Two hundred and fifty magazines were entered for the first Irish Times SchoolMag competition, earlier this year; prizes were awarded in a range of categories, from best feature to best design and layout. This year's competition promises to be even bigger. We'll be offering tips and guidance on creating a school magazine in a new media-studies column, starting in Transition Times next month. Watch this space.
This is just a selection of the activities on offer for transition-year students this year.
Each Wednesday, in Transition Times, we will be visiting classrooms around the country to see what enterprising students and teachers have come up with. If you have a novel project running in your class, e-mail lholden@irish-times.ie and tell us all about it
