Education Minister Congratulates Northgate’s Adopted School, St Mary's Star of the Sea.
14 October 2010
Northgate Managed Services’, Regional Director of Education, Stuart Gunning joined Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane in congratulating St Marys Star of the Sea Primary School on winning the ActivClassroom Film Festival Competition.
Speaking during a visit to the school to officially launch an interactive whiteboard, chosen by the school as their prize, the Minister said: "I am pleased to be here and celebrate with you the winning of this award. It is a fantastic achievement and one that everyone involved with the school should rightly be proud of.
"Encouraging creativity and innovation in our children lays the groundwork for their future development. That is why I am keen for more young people to have the opportunity to develop their creativity skills and this is why creativity is now one of the skills to be developed on a statutory basis across the revised curriculum.
"We are working to build an education system that enables all our young people to develop as creative thinkers, be confident and articulate individuals who are able to achieve their potential. Information Communication Technology (ICT) is one means of enhancing creative skills.
"It is vitally important for education to keep up with the pace of change in ICT and for all children to acquire the skills and competences to use it effectively, confidently and safely. To achieve this, children need to be supported by their teachers and to be able to access the best equipment and connectivity that we can provide."
The film award was won by Year 4 pupils who created a short video on how an interactive whiteboard brought life, fun and animation into their classroom. In the film Activote technology donated by Northgate Managed Services, as part of the Business in the Community Adopt a School programme, was used.
Pictured(left to right)- Ciaran Wright, Teacher, St Mary's Star of the Sea PS, Caitríona Ruane, Education Minister, Kieran McGarry, Principle St Marys Star of the Sea PS, Stuart Gunning, Northgate Managed Services, Angela Lynch, Classroom Assistant, St Mary's Star of the Sea, Janice Black, Promethean along with Year 4 pupils from St Marys Star of the Sea PS.
