Smile Week

This year saw the return of Smile Week and feedback from the school community (students and teachers) has been extremely positive. On Monday we began with sports events for each Year Group that would continue throughout the week. These were planned by the PE department and included old favourites such as the Sack Race, the three legged race and tug of war. There were “happiness lessons” given by SPHE and Religion teachers and of course our infamous Teachers Dress Up Day which always starts the week with a bang. This year was no different in this respect and there was laughter to be heard all around the corridors with teachers dressed as Darth Vader, the Incredible Hulk and even each other.

Events continued on Tuesday with an inspirational visit from Jack Kavanagh, a young man who has found himself paralysed from the neck down after an accident whilst diving. His “can do” attitude and advice for managing and supporting positive mental health was inspiring and many of the staff present said he was the best speaker they had ever heard.

There was also a workshop by “Humourfit” for Third and TYs. This is always a hit as it is delivered by a dramatic comedian who packages up a serious message through unique and very entertaining story telling. Again feedback from this was very positive.

On Wednesday excitement was rife with the arrival of an Ice Cream Van, our treat to the student for Smile Week. It certainly made them smile as they queued in the sun for their cones and sat around on our new benches down the walks and chatted happily. This will be a memory that will definitely make smile week and the lessons learned from it stand out

We also had a talk from Dublin footballer and Pieta House ambassador Shane Carty who spoke to First and Second about his personal journey through tough times to positive mental health. This was also received very well.

The lunchtime activity was the “Pie Face Challenge” which saw students and teachers go head to head in a General knowledge quiz, getting pied in the face when they got a question wrong!

On Thursday there were active schools challenges planned for each Year Group. These involved a walking the walks challenge to see which class could do the most laps for a prize!

On Friday we finished Smile Week with the “Great Bridge Busk Out”. This was the first of its kind and saw groups of students set up and busk down the walks for charity. Classes went down to see the acts and were given the chance to donate to their favourite. The money from these donations was donated to local mental health charity “Good to Talk” and the act that raised the most money was due to get a prize for themselves.

It was a very heart-warming end to the week when the winning students asked could their prize be donated to the charity. It showed that all the work we have down around ethos and kindness, care and respect has paid off and our students have been left with a real sense of what is the right thing to do.