Students looking forward to Strule Campus opportunities

STUDENTS from the six schools which will one day form the Strule Shared Education Campus have spoken of how important the groundbreaking educational facility will be for them.

Recent years have seen young people from the schools come together to learn, and discuss how they see the campus working when it is completed.

Many of them were in attendance at Arvalee on Thursday to hear the Education Minister, Paul Givan, and Finance Minister, Caoimhe Arch-ibald, make the crucial £150 million funding announcement. Some will have left school by the time the scheme is completed, but all were in agreement about just how great the campus is going to be.

Faodyln, from Arvalee School and Resource Centre, welcomed the students, ministers and principals to the announcement event.

“We worked together on what makes each of our schools special and our unique identity. It showed us what makes our schools special and similar and how we are similar in so many ways,” he said.

Sarah Jane, from Loreto Grammar, spoke about the shared opportunities that she had already experienced.

“By far my favourite event was a visit to the Ulster American Folk Park. Not only did we get to learn about our local history of migration and how we would soon migrate to the Strule Campus.

“I also got to visit Arvalee School which my sister attends and got to met her friends and teachers and got a much deeper insight into her daily life. This time I got a different perspective and an opportunity to see the opportunities that the Strule Campus will bring for all students.”

Alex, a pupil of Sacred Heart College, said she had been lucky to be involved in so many shared activities. “I was part of the Strule Student Council which was a real eye-opener which gave me the chance to go around different schools and learn about their values and ethos. I want the campus to be built as soon as possible as we deserve the best possible education in the best possible facilities,” she said.

Lena, from Omagh Academy, who has also been a member of the Strule Student Council, added, “Being part of the Strule Campus will allow many more opportunities to increase our subject range and make it easier to share with each other. There are so many different parts to education and I’ve really enjoyed learning about the other schools in the town.”