Newry Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mickey Ruane, had the pleasure of hosting pupils from over forty schools across the District at this year’s junior and senior Council heats of the annual ‘Environmental Youth Speak’ Competition.
The competition challenges Primary and Secondary school pupils to impress a panel of judges by presenting an environmentally themed, five minute speech. This year the topics were ‘The adventures of a waste warrior’ for the junior section and ‘Let’s send our waste to a better place’ for the senior section.
After two highly competitive heats the judging panel chose Clare Reel and Michael O’Grady from St Oliver’s Primary School, Carrickrovaddy as this year’s junior winners and Lucia Orsi from Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch as the senior winner. All pupils will now go forward to represent the Council at the Grand Final being held in March in Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey.
Speaking to the pupils and their guests Councillor Ruane said: “I can only but admire all the pupils who took part in this year’s Environmental Youth Speak. You have put a great deal of effort into researching the issues and have impressed me with how well you have been able to express your views. You are a credit to your schools and families who all should rightly be very proud of you”.
Chairman Ruane added: “I am sure that our worthy winners will continue the good tradition of Newry, Mourne and Down pupils in this competition when they compete against their peers from other Councils in the Final in Newtownabbey.”
The Environmental Youth Speak competition is an annual event run by the majority of NI Councils and has been running for over sixteen years.
Each Council runs local heats to choose their junior and senior representatives who then compete against other Council’s representatives at the Grand Final.
This year’s Grand Final is being held on 8 March 2016 in The Theatre at the Mill, Mossley Mill, Newtwonabbey.
