Loreto’s Gia leads
GIA SIMMONS, a student at the Loreto Secondary School, in Wexford, has been announced as the winner of the 2017 Rotary Club of Wexford’s Youth Leadership Development Competition.
Following entries from more than 60 students across the county in the competition, which recognises and celebrates Wexford’s youngest leaders, a representative for each of the 13 participating schools competed in the final in the Riverbank House Hotel.
Joining Gia at the final were; Daniel McCarthy (St Peter’s College), Megan Dempsey (Presentation, Wexford), Eri Farrell (Selskar College), Dominik Morycki (St Mary’s CBS Enniscorthy), Daniel Leech (Enniscorthy Vocational College), Niamh Tennant (Meanscoil Gharman), Brona Kirwan (Coláiste an Átha), Jennifer Canning (Kennedy College, New Ross), Ronan Cloney (Good Counsel College), Laura Kennedy (St Mary’s Secondary School, New Ross), James Murphy (FCJ Bunclody) and Evelyn Stebbing (Ramsgrange Community School).
Gia will now represent Wexford in the regional final of the competition, which will be hosted by the Rotary Club, of Clonmel where she will be joined by club winners from Carlow, Kilkenny, Youghal, Clonmel, Newbridge and Naas in competing for the top prize, a place on a week-long Leadership Development Programme which will see the 24 winners from across the country travel to Belfast, Dublin, and Strasbourg.
Gia, aged 16, lives in Coolcotts, is a member of the Wexford School of Ballet and Performing Arts and has been involved in a range of academic and non academic activities in her school.
Chairman of the Youth Leadership Development Competition, Karl Fitzpatrick, said he was delighted with the response to this year’s competition which had record participation levels.
‘With almost 70 per cent of secondary schools in the county taking part in this initiative, the judges interviewed over 60 students right across the county,’ said Mr Fitzpatrick.