Meath Chronicle Community & Sports Awards: Best School Project - Junior

The Meath Chronicle Community and Sports Awards in partnership with Specsavers and Bective Stud take place this Thursday (21st May) and in this week's paper we celebrate the achievements of all our wonderful nominees.

Evolving from the Meath Sports Awards that started more than 20 years ago and which has seen some of the biggest names in Irish sport recognised and honoured in their home county, the event now combines a dedicated Community section aimed at recognising so many of our unsung heroes.

Among the accolades given out at the Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy ceremony on Thursday, will be awards for Community volunteers, groups, carers, schools and green projects while in our Sports section, outstanding achievement, young sports star, team of the year and of course, overall sportsperson will all be honoured as will our Hall of Fame recipient.

Read all about our local heroes in our special 28-page pullout.

Here are the nominees for the Best School Project - Junior Award:

Big Ideas from Small Engineers

Scoil Bhríde Cannistown NS

Young students at Scoil Bhríde Cannistown NS are proving that some of the biggest ideas can come from the smallest engineers.

The school’s FIRST® LEGO® League SUBMERGED™ project has been shortlisted in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards after transforming pupils into confident problem solvers, innovators and creative thinkers.

When students from Junior Infants and Second Class showcased their work at the SUBMERGED™ Showcase in June 2025, they presented with genuine pride and passion. Their creations were far more than LEGO® models — they represented weeks of teamwork, curiosity and perseverance from some of the school’s youngest learners.

Through the STEAM Meath programme, supported by Meta, students explored real ocean-themed engineering challenges through the FIRST® LEGO® League Discover and Explore programmes. Along the way, they learned how to communicate ideas, overcome setbacks and think creatively under pressure — skills that stretch far beyond the classroom.

Now entering its third year, the project continues to grow in ambition and impact. Teachers say it has ignited a genuine love of STEM learning in children who may never otherwise have experienced this kind of hands-on education.

But the real success of the programme has been the confidence it has inspired in every child who took part. Students learned to collaborate, share ideas and trust in their own abilities while working together towards a common goal.

For the staff and students at Scoil Bhríde Cannistown NS, the project is about much more than robotics or engineering. It is about curiosity, creativity and giving children the confidence to believe that their ideas matter.

And as the young participants proudly demonstrated throughout the project, truly big ideas really can come from very small engineers.

Celebrating Every Child’s Superpowers

Room 27, St Mary’s Primary School Enfield

A classroom in St Mary’s Primary School, Enfield, was transformed into a superhero headquarters where differences became strengths and every child’s voice was celebrated.

Room 27, Ms Conneely’s Senior Autism Class, has been shortlisted in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards for their inspiring project, The Invisible Superpowers of Someone Like Me.

Using creativity, storytelling and lived experience, the pupils developed a range of superheroes representing invisible differences such as Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Anxiety, Dyscalculia and Sensory Processing Difficulties. Characters including The Dynamo, WordWeaver, HeartSense, CalmStorm, BrightMind and Spectrum helped make complex ideas relatable and meaningful for all learners across the school community.

What makes the project so special is the real impact it has had throughout the school. By sharing their own experiences through creativity and imagination, the students helped break down barriers, reduce stigma and promote inclusion in a deeply meaningful way.

Pupils now have a greater understanding of each other’s needs, supports and strengths, helping to create a more compassionate and respectful environment for everyone.

Most importantly, the project celebrates individuality. It reminds students that differences are not weaknesses, but superpowers that enrich a community and make it stronger.

Teachers say the project has strengthened a culture of belonging throughout the school while giving students the confidence to share their voices proudly and honestly.

For Room 27, the project became far more than a classroom activity. It became a powerful reminder that every child deserves to feel seen, valued and understood.

Through creativity, courage and honesty, these students have not only told a story — they have changed perspectives throughout their entire school community.

Young Scientists Protecting the River Glyde

St Brigid’s NS

Students at St Brigid’s National School in Meath Hill have spent the past two years becoming environmental investigators through an ambitious Citizen Scientists project focused on the River Glyde ecosystem.

The project, led by 5th and 6th class pupils, has been shortlisted in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards.

Working as young scientists, the students carried out detailed surveys at multiple locations along the River Glyde catchment, examining river characteristics, biodiversity, pollution, temperature, pH levels, nitrate and phosphate levels and land usage.

During the first phase of the project, students compared a small tributary stream with the main River Glyde channel in an agricultural area to investigate whether farming activities affected water quality.

The following year, pupils explored additional sources of pollution, including a stream beside a recently felled forest and an urban area where runoff from homes and streets could impact local waterways.

Teachers say the project helped students understand how activities such as farming, forestry and town development can affect rivers and streams.

But beyond the scientific research, the initiative also encouraged teamwork, creativity and curiosity. Students documented their findings through presentations, photographs and even a specially written River Ecosystem song.

The hands-on nature of the programme allowed pupils to connect classroom learning with real environmental issues affecting their local community.

More importantly, it inspired students to think about their role in protecting local ecosystems and caring for the environment for future generations.

For the young Citizen Scientists of St Brigid’s NS, the project became much more than a science lesson — it became an opportunity to explore, question and protect the natural world around them.