Eco and Irish success at Tattyreagh school

A TATTYREAGH primary school have recently invited success through their gates, accepting various eco awards along with an award recognising their efforts in promoting the Irish language.

Sacred Heart PS were recently awarded their third Green Flag as part of the Eco Schools programme, a project empowering young people to make a positive environmental difference in their school.

This year, the Sacred Heart PS pupils focused on three target areas which included outdoor learning, biodiversity and litter.

Alongside this, long-standing classroom assistant, Brenda Meyler, was proud to be titled ‘Eco Leader of the Year’ by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

Speaking with the Tyrone Herald, principal Jarlath McElholm shared his delight at the school’s recent success with the Eco Schools programme.

“It is a real source of pride,” gleamed Mr McElholm.

“In a small school like ours everyone really has to embrace the project and come on board – and that’s just what we did.”

The Eco-schools programme is recognised right across Europe, making it a highly-prestigious mark of excellence.

“I know there are quite a few schools who have been awarded the green flag, but they aren’t handed out without good reason – they are prestigious.”

Describing the programme as a ‘passion project’ of classroom assistant, Brenda Meyler, Mr McElholm continued, “Winning ‘Eco Leader of the Year’ was a nice feather in Brenda’s cap, and greatly deserved.

“Brenda makes it her mission to impress upon the children the need to look after the environment and makes sure that everybody is doing their small part to contribute.

“So it was a lovely honour for her.”

In a more general sense, Mr McElholm reflected on the positive trends in primary school children, in terms of becoming more environmentally conscious.

“Our efforts began many years ago, when we began introducing small changes such as paper bins in the classrooms as well as compost bins for fruit and vegetable waste and it’s just amazing to see now how it has developed over the years.

“You find now-a-days that children are much more environmentally aware,” he said.

“In my 35 years in education, it is just very evident that children from a primary school level are much more aware of the implications of their actions in terms of protecting the environment.”

Putting the icing on the already impressive cake, Mr McElholm also highlighted the efforts of the school in promoting the Irish language.

“The school has had a long tradition of promoting the Irish language,” said the principal.

“A formal programme called ‘Scoil Spreagtha’ has been developed in the past year or so where schools that do get involved in Irish language are formally recognised.

“So this has been a nice opportunity to have the work that we are doing recognised in an official capacity.”