Forum for peace and justice:
Recently the first year students of Coláiste Éamonn Rís were surveyed to ascertain their interests outside curricular areas in the school and in the local community. It is an ideal of the school that every student be accorded leadership opportunities. As a result of this survey one student decided he wished to support people with Autism. From this noble aspiration an idea grew in to the establishment of a forum for peace and justice. A committee was formed in mid-April to promote the ideals of the club.
To date Club Éamonn Rís has set up links with their peers in the Presentation secondary school to engage in a similar venture. On the 28th April and Autism awareness day was held in C.B.S. secondary school. The committee organized a cake sale, a sale of blue noses and a first year table quiz, events that enabled them to collect over €500. They donated €120 of this to the schools Autism Unit and the remainder to Autism action Ireland. On the 5th May the committee assisted in the Edmund Rice Schools Trust awareness raising day for homelessness. They were involved in visiting Oznam House (a local facility involved with the care of homeless men), organising a no uniform day to collect funds and in all students of the school signing a petition that will be sent to the appropriate government minister.
It is intended to continue with this initiative over the coming years. A word of thanks to the local community for their support especially Pettitts Supervalue who sponsored who donated items for sale at the cake sale.
