Projects

Transition year is an opportunity for all students to try out new projects and ideas. Over the years our TYs have taken on many new challenges and projects. Here are a few recent ones.

Sustainable Living

TY students have a module called Sustainable Living where they use recycled materials to make furniture and other projects. One of their past projects was to make an “Insect Hotel out of discarded pipes and other rubbish. This year Ms McIntyre is leading the Sustainable Living module in TY. Every TY student will get the chance to contribute to the development of the old walled garden at the Hermitage, the girls boarding house. The aim is to develop the garden as a centre of organic and sustainable gardening practices and of biodiversity. This terms group has assembled raised beds under the tutelage of Mr Geraghty, our woodwork teacher. The students have installed the beds in the Herm Garden. Ms Tiernan of our Science Dept. is also going to work with the Sustainable Living students to increase biodiversity in the garden by planting bee and bird loving plants. TYs this year followed the National Pollinator Plan as part of their Science and Sustainable Living studies. The front lawn has been let grow wild as part of the National Pollinator Plan and the bees have loved it! The beds in the Herm garden are coming along nicely and science teacher, Sandra Tiernan has put together a video tour of her own bee-and-bird friendly garden for her students and colleagues to see how the National Pollinator Plan works in domestic gardens. See it on our Science page.

Irish Angus Competition

The school has been very successful in this project in recent years. TY students from 2018 – 2019 are National finalists in the competition and this year TY students also entered. After weeks of hard work and preparation, two groups of TY students entering the Irish Angus beef schools competition 2020 travelled to Mullingar to compete in the second stage of the competition. Each group was interviewed by a panel of 5, including members from Irish Angus producers group, ABP, Kepak and an agricultural science teacher. Well done all!

Young Social Innovators

A group of TY students are involved in the Young Social Innovators project which en- courages young people to take an interest
in social issues of all kinds.

This year  the topic the TYs decided to tackle was water safety. On the 24th of March the students took part in a “speak out” competition at the Clayton hotel. The students performed fantastically and their props were amazing!! Thank you to Mr.Henry for being the best!

In 2017/2018 The TY students researched the issues surrounding obesity and diet in young Irish people.

In 2016/2017 our students are researching the issue of micro-beads in skin- care products. The YSI group were awarded a Highly Commended Award in the National Final of the competition.

Build-a-Bank

For the past two years TY students have run a school bank in conjunction with the AIB “Build a Bank” project. The Bank is a great way for students to learn about running a business as well as get an insight into the financial world.

CanSat

On the 26th of  February a group  of Transition Year students began working on their  Cansat project. Cansat encourages  students to make a  miniature satellite that can measure  pressure and temperature and from  the information collected create a formula to measure altitude. Everyone in the group has a great interest in physics or programming. Well done to everyone. 

Junk Kouture

Junk Kouture is a national competition to encourage recycling. SGS has entered for the last number of years, getting through to the Regional finals most years and getting through to the National Finals in 2015/16. Students work in teams of up to three to design, make and model the outfit. After the competition is over the students take the opportunity to learn how to cut and make their own clothing from scratch. They are taken on a field trip to a local fabric shop and choose patterns and fabric and make their own outfits. They find this experience very rewarding and they are amazed by the new skills they learn.

Young Enterprise Mini-Company

Mini-Companies have been an integral part of TY Business Studies over the years. This year the TY group setup a a company making and marketing chopping boards.

Sky sports “Living for Sport”

TY students get a chance to take part in the Sky Sports “Living for Sport” programme, which is a sports day to teach students life lessons for success in sport.

SciFest

This year TY science enthusiasts once again got involved in the SciFest programme. The programme aims to encourage a love of science and technology. Students are asked to present and display their scientific investigations, which cover a huge range of areas of interest. Both students and teachers found the experience very rewarding.