Liscannor National School in Clare became the first school in the county to be awarded the Marine Institute’s Explorers Ocean Champion Certificate of Achievement for their project: ‘Exploring the Deep Sea’, which they carried out with the Explorers Team last year.
Congratulating the pupils and presenting them with their award, Rory Mc Avinney, Explorers Outreach Officer described their project as “excellent and uplifting, demonstrating the fun ways we can share and communicate the message of marine science.”
Rory, who is part of Explorers Outreach Team noted that teachers and students from Liscannor National School had shown fantastic openness and flexibility to bring the ocean into their busy classrooms last year, through a range of cross curricular methods which were assessable to all students.
As part of the Marine Institute Ocean Champion Awards up to 3,500 children and 124 teachers across 14 coastal counties created projects under the theme: ‘creating a healthy ocean’ with the objective of introducing an ‘all-school’ approach to learning about the ocean.
School principal Maire O Connell noted that the school has a long marine heritage and has had the pleasure of taking part in a range of marine module and activities with the Explorers Education Programme over the years. This award helps us gain recognition for the work the students do here at the school, and to celebrate our Ocean Connections.
As the first school in Co. Clare to take part in this national award Ms Aisling Garrahy, the lead teacher on the project said that the Ocean Champions Award had provided the school with a way connect to their local marine environment, while also exploring the Deep Ocean around Ireland. We are delighted to receive the award and fly the flag for Co. Clare.
If your primary school would like to work with Rory this year on an Explorers Module or An Ocean Champion Project, please email rory@nationalaquarium.ie to book your fully funded school visit now.
The Explorers Education Programme is funded and supported by the Marine Institute. For more information see www.explorers.ie
