Tuesday, 24th May 2011

Clare School named ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist of the year at Ireland’s biggest celebration of ECO-Action

A group from Colaiste Muire, Co Clare, have been named ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist of the year for their project ‘All Washed Up’ which involved mobilising their community to clean up the coastline following a shipwreck. Young people from across Ireland were honoured at the 12th annual ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase and Ceremony attended by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, and over 600 young people, on May 24th in the Mansion House, Dublin.

55 lucky groups were selected for the finals from almost 4,000 young people throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland at regional ‘Dragon’s Den’ style ECO-Dens. From Carbon Footprint apps to recycling awareness song ‘It’s a (w)rap!’, guerrilla gardening, a dam building project on the river Corrib, Biodiversity Trails, and even a climate change campaign involving polar bears made of recycled materials being placed around Dublin city, it was all covered by this year’s talented group of Young Environmentalists.

“It is inspiring to see the passion and talent of young people from every county in the island of Ireland on display at the 2011 Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase. The innovative projects are a testament to the hard work and effort put in by all the groups involved, who make a real difference in their local communities and beyond.” said Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice.

“We are extremely impressed by all the young environmentalists participating in this year’s awards programme,” said Elaine Nevin, National Director of ECO-UNESCO. “All of the young people attending show tremendous creativity and innovation in their approach to protecting the environment and promoting environmental awareness among their peers, their schools and youth groups and the community as a whole.”

The public was invited to view the shortlisted projects in the Mansion House from 11:30 am – 3:00 pm, during the Showcase opened by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Gerry Breen, where exciting green-themed activities including creative recycling workshops, the Biozone, live entertainment, an ECO-Factor song contest and many more exciting activities for young people will be laid on.

Later that afternoon, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, addressed the winners of the Young Environmentalist Awards 2011 in a special awards ceremony hosted by MC Aidan Kelly of RTE.

The annual awards programme run by ECO-UNESCO, Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation, recognises and rewards young people that carry out local environmental action projects. The programme has provided thousands of young people, aged 10-18, an opportunity to take action and raise awareness in their own community on issues that matter the most to them.

OVERALL WINNERS

Overall Senior
PROJECT: Carrecting our School
FROM: St Josephs Secondary School, Stanhope street, Dublin 7

Overall Junior
PROJECT: All Washed Up
FROM: Colaiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare

SPECIAL AWARDS

COMHAR Sustainable Development Council, Sustainability Award (Joint Winners)
PROJECT: Caring for our Environment
FROM: Lanesboro Community College, Lanesboro, Co. Londford.

PROJECT: Community Tree
FROM: Clara Youthreach, Clara, Co. Offaly

TOYOTA Club of the Year Award
PROJECT: Bee Bio
FROM: ECO-UNESCO Bee Bio Club, Dublin 2

GROW Award
PROJECT: Polaware
FROM: ECO-UNESCO Polaware Club, Dublin 2

People’s Choice
PROJECT: The Lough
FROM: Glasheen BNS, Cork city

IEN Biodiversity Award
PROJECT: Eagles are Fly!
FROM: Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

ECO-Leader of the Year Award
Ms Jennifer McClelland
FROM: Banbridge High school, Banbridge, Co. Down

ECO Sustainability Award
Larch Hill International Scout & Guide Centre

The Cavan Centre

CATEGORY AWARDS

Junior Waste
PROJECT: All Washed Up
FROM: Colaiste Muire, Ennis, Co. Clare

Senior Waste
PROJECT: Make TY Paperless
FROM: St. Mary’s Academy CBS, Carlow

Junior Biodiversity
PROJECT: Bird Bird Bird…. bird is the word.
FROM: St. Colm’s High School, Draperstown, Co. Derry

Senior Biodiversity
PROJECT: Carrecting our School
FROM: St Josephs Secondary School, Stanhope street, Dublin 7

Junior Climate Change
PROJECT: Climate Coolers
FROM: Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Roscommon.

Senior Climate Change
PROJECT: Carbon Footprint App.
FROM: Loreto College, Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

Junior Energy
PROJECT: Not Packed. Better n’ Fact
FROM: The Incred-ecos, Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Roscommon.

Senior Energy
PROJECT: Stop Energy Crime with our Corrib Turbine.
FROM: Salerno Secondary School, Galway.

Junior Eco Art and Design
PROJECT: Team RRR
FROM: St. Joseph’s College, Lucan, Co. Dublin

Senior Eco Art and Design
PROJECT: Human Impact on our Water System
FROM: Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan.

Junior Water
PROJECT: Be Wise with Water
FROM: Blakestown Community School, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Senior Water
PROJECT: Doing it for the Ducks
FROM: Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Junior Eco-Business
No Winner

Senior Eco-Business
No Winner

Junior Eco Community Development
PROJECT: Working Together to make our Community Better
FROM: ASESP Teen Peer Group, Lower Sherriff street, Dublin 1

Senior Eco Community Development (Joint Winners)
PROJECT: The Green-up and Clean-up Club
FROM: Ennistymon Vocational School, Co. Clare

PROJECT: Is Carlow the cleanest town in Ireland?
FROM: Carlow Youthreach, Carlow.

Junior Transport
PROJECT: Carbon Crushers
FROM: De La Salle College, Dundalk, Co. Louth.

Senior Transport
PROJECT: Improving Bicycle Use in Monaghan
FROM: St. Louis Secondary School, Monaghan Town.

Super Junior
PROJECT: A School Connected to its Community
FROM: Killylea Primary School, Killylea Road, Armagh.v

Highly Commended Awards
Presentation Secondary School – Green Army

Rosary College – Rosary Recycling Rascals

St. Catherine’s College – Back to Basics

North Coast Integrated College – The North Coast ECO Intergenerational Project

Our Lady and St. Patrick’s College – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle – Jam Making Project

Royal Belfast Academical Institution – Raising Awareness of Waste and Recycling Issues

Banbridge High School – Will there be another Year of the Tiger?

CBS Charleville – Charleville Green Mile Joins Forces with Dirty Old Towns

Clara Youthreach – Community Tree

St. Conleth’s College – Climate Change Education

Youthreach Letterfrack – Community Garden

St. Patrick’s Academy – L6 Conservation Group

Blackwater Community School – Conservation sans Frontiers

St. Mary’s Secondary School – Team ECO Unite

S.W.I.C.N. Computer Clubhouse – Dublin 8 is Great!

Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School – School Garden and School Wildlife Action Group (SWAG)

Skerries Community College – The Intergenerational Project

St. Finian’s College – Clean and Green

Rockbrook Park School – Nature Trail

The Teresian School – To Increase Recycling and Awareness in the School

Dominican College – Biodiversity Garden

St. Mary’s Secondary School – The Bin Patrollers

Blakestown Community School – McBrides Water Wise Investigation

Dominican College – Splash Day

Eureka Secondary School – That’s a wRAPv

Christ King Girls Secondary School – From recycled fashion to fashion recycled

St Eunan’s National School – Transportation Situation

St. Josephs College, Roscommon- To investigate the importance of bees in the environment

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Daniel Meister, Communications Officer

communications@ecounesco.ie

Tel. 01 6625491

Mob. 087 672 6619

Notes to Editor:

ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards 2010

Showcase, free and open to the public

Wednesday 24th May, 11:30am-3:00pm

Round Room of the Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Ceremony, by invitation only (contact communications@ecounesco.ie for press pass)

Wednesday 24th May, 4:30pm-6:00pm

Round Room of the Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

MC: Aidan Kelly, RTE

Guest Speaker: Mary Robinson

ABOUT ECO-UNESCO

ECO-UNESCO (www.ecounesco.ie) is Ireland’s environmental education and youth organisation. The organisation aims to raise environmental awareness, promote the protection and conservation of the environment, and promote the personal development of young people. ECO-UNESCO is affiliated to the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA).

ABOUT THE YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALIST AWARDS

ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards is an awards programme that empowers young people to become better citizens, build awareness of environmental issues and promote simple lifestyle changes to improve the environment. The Young Environmentalist Awards is funded by Department of Environment, Heritage, and Local Government; Northern Ireland Environment Agency; Department of Education and Science Youth Affairs Section; Department of Transport, The Environmental Protection Agency; COMHAR Sustainable Development Council.