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Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
See pictures from awards evening at Wicklow community college
The hall was packed put with proud family members of all the students, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, from neighbouring Kildare, was in attendance and helped with the presentations. Principal Brian Doran started off proceedings and introduced everyone, including special speakers, the Cathaoirleach of Baltinglass Municipal District, Cllr Patsy Glennon, who is chair of St Kevin's board of management, and Deputy Edward Timmins, who is a former board member. Also in attendance was Cllr Avril Cronin, who sits on the St Kevin's board of management and is also a member of KWETB. Cllr Pat Mahon also attended the event, while two other special guests, Irish 7's rugby player Kathy Baker and basketball player Lorcan Murphy, helped out with the sports awards presentations. Principal Doran said: 'Awards were presented for different academic achievements and sporting awards were also presented. We also had best attendance awards and presentations for highest Leaving Certificate results. The main trust of the evening was attendance and endeavour. We wanted to reward students who made a committed effort throughout school, which ties in with our school motto 'striving together for excellence'. Notable winners on the evening included Lauren Donaghy, who was presented with the award for best leaving certificate results and currently studies veterinary medicine at UCD. Lilly Ann Swaine Fogarty was the winner of best overall result in leaving certificate applied 2024, while Conor Bruce was the winner of the Citizenship Award. The Dunlavin based school is still waiting to go out to tender after receiving planning permission in May of 2023 for the construct of a new school campus that will see the capacity at the secondary school increase from 700 to 1,000 students. The proposed development at St Kevin's will include the refurbishment of the existing two-storey school building and the demolition of the existing single-storey school building (c 2,139sq.m) and the removal of temporary classroom accommodation to make way for the construction of a three-storey extension (c 8,023sq.m). The development will provide new specialist classrooms, a Special Education Need (SEN) unit, a library, two new multi-use games areas (MUGA), an outdoor classroom/ biodiversity area and a SEN external play area. The existing sports pitch will be relocated as part of the development, with solar photovoltaic panels (PV) erected at roof level to reduce electricity costs and a total of 82 car parking spaces and 200 bicycle parking spaces for students, faculty and parents created.
Irish Independent
22-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Punchestown Festival offers 70 Wicklow students hospitality work experience
Combining community involvement, real-world skills training and local pride, the 'Elevate 2025 – Discovering the Heart of Irish Hospitality Excellence' programme will give St Kevin's transition year students invaluable experience, working with the army of chefs, kitchen, bar and floor staff that will serve up to 17,000 corporate hospitality guests. The innovative pilot scheme is designed to immerse local TY students in the dynamic world of hospitality, equipping them with practical skills, confidence, and insight into premium food and beverage service – all set against the vibrant backdrop of the iconic Punchestown Festival, which takes place from April 29 to May 3. The journey began in the classrooms of St. Kevin's and culminated in a live-service experience at Punchestown, where students worked side-by-side with seasoned hospitality professionals. Over five weeks, 119 students took part in a hands-on training programme delivered by Sam Brancato, Aramark's standards and training business partner. Praising the programme and St Kevin's students for their engagement, school principal Brian Doran said: 'There are exciting opportunities ahead for our TY students. 'As the students of St. Kevin's step confidently into their roles at Punchestown 2025, they carry with them not only new skills but also the pride of representing their community on an important stage.' Beyond training and employment, Elevate 2025 fosters local pride by connecting young people and their families to one of Ireland's most celebrated sporting and social events. It showcases the hospitality industry not just as a vibrant career path, but as a source of essential life skills – from teamwork and communication to professionalism and adaptability. The initiative has already garnered international interest, with Aramark leadership in the US watching closely as a potential model for rollout in American schools – a testament to the programme's quality and impact. 'We are incredibly proud to partner with Aramark and St. Kevin's on this meaningful project,' said Punchestown hospitality manager and Elevate founder Sue Wilson. 'What started out as a chat with a friend who teaches at the school has evolved into what could be a global template. Elevate 2025 is more than a programme – it's creating strong links in the local community, providing skills and experience that will stand to these young people wherever life may take them, it offers paid employment on a local level.'
