Letterkenny school scoops top prize in national ‘Something Fishy’ competition

Letterkenny Educate Together National School awarded first place among 99 schools and 10 education centres across the country

Letterkenny Educate Together National School has been named winner of the national education programme, ‘Something Fishy’. The students from fifth class were presented with theSomething Fishy’ perpetual trophy and a monetary prize by Joe McHugh TD, Minister for Education and Skills, at the school today. During the 2017-2018 academic year, 99 national schools and 10 education centres took part in the programme, reaching approximately 3,000 students.

Pupils from Letterkenny Educate Together National School celebrating being awarded the national Something Fishy title!

The ‘Something Fishy’ education programme is an initiative of Inland Fisheries Ireland, in partnership with Blackrock Education Centre, which allows students to learn about fish and the environment in a local context. Students enjoy classroom based activities as well as practical fieldtrips with Fisheries Officers as part of the programme, which is promoted and delivered by education centres nationwide. In addition, students compile and submit projects on their learning for assessment by an independent judging panel.

Letterkenny Educate Together School received the national accolade after being commended for their project called ‘Save Our Schools (SOS)’. The project saw the class build a website aimed at engaging other children and young people to learn about fish and the importance of protecting the fisheries resource. The webpage included digital games and video content, all devised and produced by the children themselves.

The winning class from Letterkenny Educate Together National School with representatives from Inland Fisheries Ireland, Donegal Education Centre, Blackrock Education Centre and Minister Joe McHugh.

Teachers and students participating in the ‘Something Fishy’ programme explore eight different lessons on the fisheries resource, after which they receive a visit from Inland Fisheries Officers who introduce them to their local river and the fish and invertebrates who live within in. Since its inception in 2005, over 50,000 students have participated in the programme.

For more information about Something Fishy visit www.somethingfishy.ie and to view the webpage built by Letterkenny Educate Together National School’s pupils, visit https://sites.google.com/a/letterkennyetns.ie/sos/home .

Pupils with the Something Fishy trophy