A number of P7 boys and girls from St.Clare’s Abbey travelled to Armagh to celebrate their participation in the Edmund Rice Awards Project. This project was established in 1994 to encourage young people to respond to the needs of their local community in the spirit of Edmund Rice.
The project encourages students to serve their local community and exposes 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 project involves reflection sessions to be conducted in school and provides the opportunity for the students to assess their own voluntary work.
This year the host school was Christian Brothers Primary School , Armagh. We were joined by St Patrick’s Primary School and John Paul 11 Primary School both from Belfast.
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 prayer service 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 homeless and elderly in their communities.
