HATS OFF TO ST MARY’S FINEST
TALENT, and not just academic, was in abundance as over 600 students at St Mary’s Secondary School in Mallow attended their annual school awards day in the sports hall last Monday afternoon.
Students from all six grades were honoured for scholarly excellence, attendance and sport while there was also special awards presented to students who made a positive contribution to the life of the school.
The biggest award in the two hour event was the Sixth Year Student Of The Year which this year was presented to Aisling O’Sullivan.
The Catherine McAuley Award award honours the memory of the foundress of the Mercy Order and it recognises the qualities of kindness, generosity of spirit, self-motivation, striving to help others and community involvement with this years recipient being Sarah Aherne.
Sophie Smithers was awarded the 2017 Spirit of Ceist, which recognises student participation and achievement in promoting spiritual and human development, achieving quality in teaching and learning, showing respect for everyone else, creating community and being just and responsible.
On the day the 2017 Leaving Certificate students created a carnival atmosphere with painted faces and wearing colourful mortar boards to signify their last day in second level education.
Entertainment was provided by the school band with songs from Aby O’Regan and Cait O’Mahony while Neus Castellet Roig played a musical piece on the flute.
All the awards were presented by teaching staff while school principal Yvonne Bane addressed the gathering before a short video was shown of the 2016- 2017 school year.
Girls from the school’s student council were also on hand to make their own presentations to teaching and office staff at the school.
Finally, the Leaving Certificate class threw their mortar boards in the air to mark their final day in the school.
Other award winners on the day included: Jisna Jis (First Year Student Of The Year), Emma Murphy (Second Year Student Of The Year) Queensly Erhabor ( Third Year Student Of The Year), Aisling Healy (Fifth Year Student Of The Year), Aisling O’Sullivan ( Sixth Year Student Of The Year), Patricia Buckley (Home Economics) Katie Relihan (Leaving Cert Applied Student Of The Year) and Pamela Power (L.C.A. Student Task Award)
Other award categories included Rand Reiltin Awards, Art, PE,Sports, Maths, Senior Physics, Music,Business, LCVP,History, Young Mercy Leaders, International Students, Attendance, German and Irish.