Thirteen Schools Take Park in Council Environmental Youth Speak Competition

Pupils from 13 primary and secondary schools across the district took part in this year’s Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Environmental Youth Speak competition.

The event was compered by Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell, and organised by the Council’s Sustainability section.

The pupils, who were pre-selected from over 40 online video submissions received from schools, were invited to present their speech in front of a judging panel.

The annual competition encourages debate on sustainability issues and culminates with the crowning of the Junior and Senior Environmental Youth Speak Champions.

Pupils are given two environmental topics to speak on and this year Primary School pupils focused on “Where would we bee without pollinators”, while their secondary school counterparts spoke on “How the United Nations Sustainable Development goals are important to me”.

After much deliberation, the judges chose Charlotte Magee from St Malachy’s Primary School, Camlough and Conor Rooney-Davis, from Kilkeel’s St Louis Grammar School, as the respective winners.

The Council Chairperson said it was a pleasure to listen to all the speeches, with pupils presenting with confidence and doing themselves and their respective schools proud.

“I have learnt so much from you all, said Cllr Campbell. “From the importance of pollinators for our ecosystem and the role bees play, to the relevance of the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals and how they provide us with a pathway to end poverty, protect the environment and ensure prosperity for all.

“Everybody who took part in the competition is a winner for making it this far. Huge congratulations to our overall winners in the Junior and Senior section, Charlotte and Conor.”

Cllr Campbell said the winners presented imaginative, informative and engaging speeches and were worthy recipients of the Environmental Youth Speak Junior and Senior awards. He presented them with a trophy to keep, a certificate and £100 voucher, with all pupils receiving a commemorative certificate and £25 voucher each.

Pupils who competed in the Junior Section included Theo Macauley, All Children’s Integrated Primary School, Newcastle; Darcy O’Hare, St Peter’s Primary School, Cloughreagh, Bessbrook; Luke Morgan, St Ronan’s Primary School, Newry; Hugh McGrillen, Holy Cross Primary School, Attical; Charlotte Magee, St Malachy’s Primary School, Camlough; Treasa McCoy, St Clare’s Abbey Primary School, Newry; Ava Mackin, Carrick Primary School, Burren and Cliona Mageean, St Patrick’s Primary School, Legamaddy.

Competing Senior section pupils were Esther Richard, St Mary’s High School, Newry; Conor Rooney-Davis, St Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel; Kayla Hanna, Kilkeel High School; Maella McCamphill, Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch and Emma Rae Brothers, Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry.

The competition judges were Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Director of Sustainability, Mr Eamonn Keaveney, Assistant Director Conor Sage and Nichola Hughes, Director of Sustainability NI.