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

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 - Senior Award:

Building a School of Welcome

Eureka Secondary School

At Eureka Secondary School in Kells, inclusion is not simply encouraged — it is celebrated every single day.

The school’s Sanctuary Committee has been shortlisted in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards for its work creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

With 27 nationalities represented throughout the school community, the committee works to ensure every student feels valued, supported and connected. Guided by the principles of Learn, Action and Share, students have led a wide range of initiatives focused on supporting asylum seekers and refugees while also promoting inclusion for neurodiverse and LGBTQ+ students.

Among the many projects introduced are multilingual welcome signs, translated classroom displays and timetables, as well as a new anti-racism policy promoting equality and respect for all.

The committee also created inclusive spaces such as the Welcome Club and Bible Study Club, both of which bring students together weekly to build friendships and connections.

Whole-school events including Diversity and Inclusion Week, World Culture Cookery and a Culture Stall Extravaganza have helped celebrate the many backgrounds and cultures represented within the school community.

Working alongside organisations including Jigsaw, Youth Work Ireland, Meath County Council and Cultúr Migrant Centre, the students have helped create a culture where diversity is embraced and celebrated.

Their efforts recently resulted in Eureka Secondary School becoming the first school in County Meath to achieve Champion School of Sanctuary status — a landmark achievement for the school community and a reflection of the dedication shown by both students and staff.

Teachers say the initiative has had a lasting impact across the school, helping students develop empathy, understanding and a genuine sense of belonging.

But beyond awards and recognition, the committee’s work has already achieved something even more important — creating a school where every student feels welcome, respected and heard.

A Legacy Built Together

Enfield Community College

Creativity, collaboration and community spirit came together in a remarkable way at Enfield Community College through the creation of the school’s “Legacy Tree”.

The inspiring Creative Schools project, developed in collaboration with artist Glen Gibson, has earned the school a place among the finalists in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards. At the heart of the project was a striking wire sculpture representing the identity, growth and shared experiences of the school community.

Throughout the process, students took part in hands-on workshops where they learned how to manipulate wire, explore form and develop creative ideas. Each student contributed individually crafted elements including leaves, branches and symbolic forms reflecting personal stories and values connected to the piece.

Those individual pieces were then brought together to create one unified sculpture — highlighting the importance of collaboration and collective creativity.

Teachers say the project stood out because every student voice could be represented in a meaningful and lasting way. The initiative successfully combined creativity with wellbeing, giving students a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school.

Working alongside a professional artist also enriched the learning experience and encouraged students to see creativity in a new light.

The finished Legacy Tree is not only visually striking but deeply symbolic. It now stands proudly within the school as a lasting reminder of teamwork, identity and community spirit.

More importantly, the project’s impact stretched far beyond the classroom. It strengthened school culture, encouraged self-expression and celebrated the creativity of students across the college.

For Enfield Community College, the Legacy Tree is far more than a sculpture — it is a lasting symbol of connection, creativity and the legacy students leave behind.

Growing Friendships Through Inclusion

Coláiste na Mí Inclusion Project

Students from Coláiste na Mí and St Mary’s Special School came together through an inspiring project that demonstrated the power of inclusion, friendship and shared learning. The initiative, centred around the design and construction of Bug Hotels, has earned a nomination in the Best School Project category at the Anglo Celt Community and Sports Awards.

Over six weeks, Transition Year students worked alongside pupils from St Mary’s Special School through a nature-based learning programme filled with creativity, collaboration and fun.

Students engaged in shared reading, sensory exploration, nature walks, music and hands-on construction activities while forming genuine friendships and connections along the way.

Transition Year students acted as mentors throughout the programme, adapting activities to support diverse learning needs and ensuring every student could participate fully and confidently.

Teachers say the project fostered empathy, communication and leadership while creating meaningful relationships between students of different ages and abilities.

The programme concluded with the construction of two Bug Hotels and a final showcase event where pupils celebrated their achievements together and watched a digital video diary documenting the journey.

The impact of the project was significant for everyone involved. Pupils from St Mary’s Special School gained confidence and enjoyment through participation, while TY students developed a deeper understanding of inclusion, empathy and social responsibility.

Strong connections were formed between both school communities and the Bug Hotels now remain as lasting educational and wellbeing resources. More importantly, the project showed how inclusion can flourish naturally when young people are given the opportunity to learn together, create together and support one another.

For the students involved, this was far more than a school project — it became a celebration of friendship, understanding and belonging.