Edmund Rice Awards 2016

The Edmund Rice Awards Scheme was established in 1994 in Ireland in order to encourage young people to respond to the needs of their local community in the spirit of Edmund Rice. The scheme encourages students to deliver a valuable service to their community, and expose them to the realities of social injustice and marginalization. It provides a rare opportunity for young people to make a significant difference to the lives of local community members. The scheme involves reflection sessions to be conducted in school and provides the opportunity for the students to assess their own voluntary work.

Our school hosted the awards this year and we were joined by , St Patrick’s Primary School Belfast,John Paul 11 Primary School Belfast and Armagh CBS .

  Each year northern primary schools within the Edmund Rice Schools family come together to celebrate the achievements of these schools in fulfilling the vision of Blessed Edmund Rice.  The Edmund Rice Schools Trust Charter (ERST Charter) defines these schools in the following way; 
 
“The hallmarks of an Edmund Rice school are care, especially for those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged in any way, and action for social and ecological justice.” 
 
To this aim, the awards ceremony highlights and celebrates the many projects undertaken in the schools each year to help others.  
 
The day began with a mass in honour of Blessed Edmund Rice and following this each school, including St. Clare’s Abbey, gave presentations on how Edmund Rice’s vision influenced them in the many projects and initiatives they undertook over the year to assist those in need, from supporting fellow pupils to caring for the elderly in their communities and providing for victims of world poverty.