LISCANNOR NATIONAL SCHOOL became the first Clare school to be awarded the Marine Institute’s Explorers Ocean Champion Certificate.
Entitled ‘Exploring the Deep Sea’, their project was done in collaboration with members of the Explorers Team last year. Students from third, fourth, fifth and sixth class were involved.
Congratulating the pupils and presenting them with their award, Rory McAvinney, Explorers Outreach Officer described their project as “excellent and uplifting, demonstrating the fun ways we can share and communicate the message of marine science”.
Rory, who is part of Explorers Outreach Team noted that teachers and students from Liscannor National School displayed fantastic openness and flexibility to bring the ocean into their busy classrooms last year, through a range of cross curricular methods which were assessable to all students.
As part of the Marine Institute Ocean Champion Awards up to 3,500 children and 124 teachers across 14 coastal counties created projects under the theme: ‘creating a healthy ocean’ with the objective of introducing an ‘all-school’ approach to learning about the ocean.
School principal Maire O’Connell noted that the school has a long marine heritage and has had the pleasure of taking part in a range of marine modules and activities with the Explorers Education Programme over the years. This award helps us gain recognition for the work the students do here at the school, and to celebrate our Ocean Connection”.
As the first school in Co. Clare to take part in this national award Ms Aisling Garrahy, the lead teacher on the project said that the Ocean Champions Award had provided the school with a way to connect to their local marine environment, while also exploring the Deep Ocean around Ireland. We are delighted to receive the award and fly the flag for the county.
Primary schools interested in working on an Explorers Module or An Ocean Champion Project, can email rory@nationalaquarium.ie to book your fully funded school visit now.
This Ocean Champion project was carried out by the Explorers team at Galway Atlantaquaria. The Ocean Champion Awards are part of a nationwide initiative to develop ocean literacy at primary-school level. The Explorers Education Programme is fully funded by the Marine Institute, Ireland’s State agency for marine research and development, and is managed by Camden Education Trust.
