18212 St Pats Ballymena - A4 Newsletter

SUMMER 2018

St Patrick’s College

NEWSLETTER
News • Sport • School Life

ST PATRICK'S

COLLEGE FORMAL p2
LITERACY NEWS p3
PERFORMING ARTS p4

READING AWARDS p5

LEAVING MASS p7

FUNDRAISING p8

SEACHTAIN NA GAELIGE p9

SPORTS DAY p10

BALMORAL SHOW p11
ARTS p13

ATHLETICS p14

THE MOUNT CHARLES
BIG SCHOOL COOK OFF p6

Welcome St Patrick's

College Formal

Glamour and style were the order of the night as
the College celebrated its Year 12 School Formal
in Tullyglass House Hotel in February. A great
evening was had by both staff and students.

Welcome to the Summer edition of our Newsletter. caption
I hope you will enjoy getting an insight into school
life and be able to share with us our pride in all that
our young people have achieved as we reach the
end of another successful school year.

May I take this opportunity to wish you and your
family a very pleasant summer holiday.

Dr M Knox caption
Principal
caption
Editorial Team:

Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxc, Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxx

St Patrick’s College
Broughshane Road
Ballymena BT43 7DZ

Phone: 028 2565 6984

www.stpatricksballymena.com

2 :: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter ::

Literacy News

In March the students celebrated World Book Day by M Kostolny and M Moravec enjoy reading
taking part in book quizzes and a ‘Drop Everything
and Read’ event during Life Skills; this was enjoyed by
all.

Key Stage 3 Students ‘Drop Everything and Read’

Poetry
Competition

In February Year 11Student, Adela Polakova won 1st A Polokova with her English Teacher, Mrs D McBride
prize in the Down and Connor Arts and Poetry, KS4
category. Her winning poem was written on the
theme of ‘My Family’ to commemorate Catholic
Schools Week. Adela attended an award ceremony
in St. Mary’s University where she received her prize
of £125. There were over 500 entrants and it is

great to see her talent recognised.

3:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter ::

Performing Arts
Department

In March the Performing Arts Department performed
‘Mulan’ based on the Oscar nominated film by
Disney. With hit songs and a story packed with
action, humour and heart, Mulan brought ancient
China to life.

All of the students embraced their character roles
and the audiences were entertained by amazing
acting, singing, dancing and music.
The pupils were heavily involved in every aspect of
the show and preparing for the production presented
exciting new challenges; creating complex

choreography and learning songs in multiple parts.
Teamwork was at the heart of the production, with
the teachers, students and classroom assistants all
working collaboratively.

Well done to all of the students who took part and a
big thank you to Claire Irvine who, alongside Mrs
McNamee and the Music Department, worked
incredibly hard to make the show a great success.

M Morrison, C O’Neill and K Phillips

4 The Students perform Mulan!

:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter ::

Accelerated Reading
Awards

C Ward, C Devlin, M Jaworska and K Kruk M O’Neill and A Devlin

Accelerated Reading has been running
successfully for a number of years in St. Patrick’s
College Library. The scheme is designed to
encourage pupils to develop a passion for reading,
enabling them to read their way through all genres
of fiction, poetry, Shakespeare and non-fiction.

After working through the programme and
completing the accompanying written activities,
many pupils have achieved their Reading
Certificates. Well done to those students who
engaged so successfully with Accelerated
Reading. We are very proud of them and of all the
enthusiastic pupils who have worked hard and
read lots in the Library this year.

M Devilo, C Neill, E Hamill, M Kostolny A Augustine

:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter :: 5

Regional
Winners

The Mount Charles Big School Cook Preparing for the Finals using local produce
Off in association with the Irish News
and Business in the Community was
launched to inspire secondary school
pupils to think about healthy eating
and food provenance, and to
encourage them to consider a future
career in the hospitality industry.

Teams throughout Northern Ireland
took part with each team aiming to
cook a main course for two people,
based on local produce and with a
budget of £5 per meal.

Well done to Year 10 Students
Callum Morrison and Maciej Gawlik
who achieved success in the
Regional Finals with their BBQ
burgers and garlic and thyme
wedges made with local produce.

6 M Galwik, HE Teacher L McBride and C Morrison

:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter ::

Year 12 Leavers’ Mass

Fr Delargy celebrates the Mass

The Year 12 Leavers’ Mass was celebrated by
Fr. Delargy on Wednesday 9th May.

It was an opportunity for the students to come
together to thank God for times they have
spent together and for the friends they have
made. We wish the students every success in
their examinations.

Z Trawinska reads at Mass

Year 4 Retreat & Leaving Mass

We were delighted this The day was an opportunity to experience in a very special way the presence of
year to have Fr. O’Reilly God. The students found it a very rewarding and memorable event to mark their
with us for the 6th Form last days in St. Patrick’s in a spiritual and serene setting. The Mass was enhanced
Mass on 29th May. by beautiful music from Justin McGurk. Remember Fr O'Reilly's advice "be the best
version of yourself!"
The morning session
consisted of a Retreat
facilitated by Mr Hugo
MacOscar followed by a
Mass on Slemish
Mountain in the
afternoon.

This was followed by a
celebratory meal in The

Adair Arms Hotel.

:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter :: 7

Fund Raising in
St. Patrick’s

The whole College was very busy
fundraising during the Lenten
Campaign raising £1,500 through
various activities including bun and
toasty sales. This was very
commendable!

J Brett serves at the toasty sale.

World Down
Syndrome
Day

On Tuesday March 21st it was World
Down's Syndrome Day.

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8 D Hanley and M Scullion

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Seachtain na Gaelige

This year the Irish Department continued the Another highlight for the Irish and MFL Departments
tradition of organising activities to coincide with the was the annual ‘Euroquiz’ held in the Braid Arts
week leading up to St Patrick’s Day. It proved to be Centre on April 10th. 12 schools took part in the
very successful and the pupils who were involved in quiz, which tested pupils on various aspects of
the various activities enjoyed it immensely. An ‘Irish European culture, food, languages, flags and history.
Week’ poster competition for Years 8-10 was held Our team consisted of 6 pupils, two from Year 8;
again and the quality of the work produced was of a (Fionnuala Mc Fall and Odhran Gordon) two from
very high standard with three winners per year and a Year 9;(Hannah O’Kane and Maja Matuszkiewicz)
number of spot prizes for individual effort and and two from
originality. Year 10; (Carragh Hamill and Odhran
Mc Keown.) The pupils involved did exceptionally
During the week the pupils also took part in a well, finishing joint second overall, just missing out in
‘Toraíocht Taisce’ or Treasure Hunt which they the NI Finals. They represented the College with
thoroughly enjoyed, as well as a quiz in Irish which distinction. Well done to all!
as always proved very popular and competitive.

The team at the Euroquiz

:: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter :: 9

Sports News

Under 13.5 Under 14.5 Gaelic Under 16.5 Gaelic
Gaelic Team
Team Team

The Juniors competed in an Ulster The Year 10 Boys took part in a This team progressed successfully
Colleges Blitz in April in Belfast. Blitz prior to the Christmas break, from a weak group stage to play
Things began very brightly against and were unfortunate to end up in Irvinestown in the Ulster Quarter
a weak Parkhall side, with the a strong group including a very Final, where a gutsy performance
Antrim team failing to register a competent St. Colman’s helped them to overcome a
score in the game, and St. Ballynahinch. The boys improved dogged team. It took a late Oisin
Patrick’s came out easy winners. and learned quickly from their O’Mullan goal to help secure a
Their next game was a complete mistakes in the first game against Semi-Final fixture against
contrast, as they came up against St. Colman’s, finishing strongly Dominican College, Portstewart.
a very strong CBS Belfast side, against a good outfit. Their second
who they managed to challenge in group game came against Blessed
parts, but eventually succumbed to Trinity, Belfast where the team
a heavy loss. This left qualification simply did not play to their
hanging in the balance, with a play- potential. A scrappy affair was
off group game against Banbridge ended in terms of competition, with
deciding the remaining qualification two weak goals being conceded in
place. quick succession, to leave too
much to be done. Despite a late
An entertaining game eventually flurry of scores on St. Patrick’s
saw Banbridge win by a single behalf, Blessed Trinity secured a
point, with a more clinical instinct in narrow victory to advance to the
front of goal proving the difference. knockout stages.
Strong performances on the day
from the likes of Cal O’Brien, Niall
Devine, Calum McAvoy and the
ever-improving Dylan Bruce, gives
hope for next year.

Under 13.5 Gaelic Team

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Sports Day

Sports day was held on Wed 23rd May with perfect
weather conditions for good performances. All
participants had the opportunity to take part in track and
field events with some fun novelty races added.
We had two new school records. Octav Parduraru won
the Year 11 Discus with a new record throw of 24.30
beating the existing record by 1cm from Ronan Linton
2013.
Kacper Krolik won the Year 9 Boys 100m in 13.13
beating the existing record of 13.20 held by C.Patterson
1970 and P McQuillan 1984.
Megan Anderton equalled the Girls High Jump record of
1.40 which is held by Caitlin McGaughey from 2014.

M Anderton equals the Girls High Jump Record

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Balmoral

On Thursday 17th May, 31
students from the College spent a
fun-filled day at the Balmoral
Show. The trip was organised by
Mr McEldowney, who was
accompanied by Mrs McQuillan
and classroom assistants J
McIlmoyle and B McErlean.
The 65 acre complex at Balmoral
Park proved a great success with
80,000 visitors attending over the
three days. Despite many
problems, including the poor winter
weather, the agriculture and food
industry remains optimistic,
sustaining 100,000 jobs in
Northern Ireland and generating
£4.4 million in annual sales.

12 :: St Patrick’s College :: Newsletter ::

Art News

The annual GCSE Art Exhibition was held in May in
the library. This event gave students the opportunity to
see their artwork on display and celebrate their
individual successes.
The Art Department was pleased and proud of the
display this year and would like to thank all the
students for all their hard work.

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Sports Hall NEBSSA Athletic

Athletics Heats & Finals

Six schools attended the Antrim Trials Thirty-two pupils travelled to the Antrim Forum to
for the Ulster Sports Hall Athletic compete in the NEBSSA Schools Athletics Area
Championships held in February at St. Heats. Seven pupils qualified for the Finals which
Patrick’s College. It was a very were held on the 4th May. Congratulations to Rhys
competitive day which resulted in five of Wright, who was second in the high jump, Megan
our pupils making the Antrim Team for Anderton, who came 3rd in the high jump, Kacper
the Ulster Finals which were held on Krolik, who came 1st in the shot-putt and Paulius
22nd March at Magherafelt Indoor Volkovas who won the triple jump.
Arena.

The Antrim Team finished second to
Donegal in the U13 Girls, U13 Boys and
U15 Girls. They
placed third in
the U15 Boys
behind Derry and
Donegal.

Congratulations
to Paulius
Volkovas and
Rhys Wright who
claimed individual
bronze medals in
the U15 Boys
Standing Triple
Jump and the
Vertical Jump
respectively.

P Volokovas wins Bronze in Athletics R Wright wins Bronze in Atheltics

M Las, R Wright, M Anderton, P Volkovas and K Krolik compete in Athletics

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District & Ulster Athletic
Championships

Three pupils qualified for the Ulster Athletics Lauren Roy
Championship held on Saturday 19th May. These
championships consist of the top three in each
district qualifying for the Finals, therefore the
pupils were up against the best in their individual
event. Megan Anderton was 3rd in the high jump
in the District Heats and fifth in the Ulster
Championship. Paulius Volkovas won the District
Heat and was placed sixth in the Ulster
Championship. Lauren Roy won the 100m and
200m and also retained these titles at Ulster level.

Lauren now competes in the All Ireland Schools
Championship in Tullamore Co. Offaly, we wish
her every success.

Lauren Roy wins Gold in the 100m and 200m

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