Gaisce Hike

On Friday a few of us went to Kippure Adventure Center to hike 25 kilometers for our gaisce award.

At the start of the year everyone was offered to take part in getting a bronze Gaisce award.To get the award each person had to take up a new sport,learn a new skill,do 13 weeks of community involvement and hike 25 kilometers. 

Since we are coming to the end of the year we went on our hike on Friday and Saturday.On the Friday night we hiked for 3 hours,which coverd 10 kilometers.Then on the Saturday we hiked 15 in 4 hours.

I thought it would be a lot harder than it was;we got to take lots of breaks to wait for people to catch up.I was at the front of the group most of the time so I got the most breaks.The views were really nice because we were hiking over 4 mountains.

I really enjoyed myself and had lots of fun because we got to stay in houses in the adventurer center.There was only five people in my house which was good because we had to make our own dinner and breakfasts.We stayed up very late on the Friday so I had to call everyone the next morning so we would be ready in time to start hiking again.

It was really fun and I would like to do the silver award next year!

Swim a Mile with a Smile!

Today all the TYs went to the National Aquatic Centre with the LCVP 5th year class to take part in Swim a Mile.Our aim was to swim more than 25 mile which is what last years TY group swam.Everyone took part in some way;those who weren't swimming counted the lenghts.64 lenghts of the pool is the same distance as a mile.A few girls swan the mile by themselves but most of us did it in groups!After swimming we all got a t-shirt and got a photo taken for the school website!Then we headed off to Blacherstown to get something to eat!
I really enjoyed myself even though I only did a few lenghts!

mini pilgrimige!

Today we went on a mini pilgrimage to Kildare village.During our pilgrimage we visited lots of places to do with St. Bridget.
First we went to the heritage centre;where we saw a short film about St. Bridget.Then we went to St. Bridget's cathedral.In the cathedral we looked around and said a prayer.Then we went behind the cathedral and saw the fire temple and the round tower.Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to climb the tower so instead we walked around the tower backwards a few times;because it is said that if you walk around it backwards you will dream of the person you are going to marry.Then we got back on the bus and headed for St. Bridget's wells.We had to walk for a while to get to one of them,then when we got there we said a few prayers and the walked back to the other well where a few girls blessed themselves with the water.
After out pilgrimage we went to Whitewater Shopping Centre for lunch and then to Kbowl to do some bowling before going home.

Sci-Fest and then off to Cork!!

Yesterday was a very busy day in TY.In the morning we had Sci-fest and then We set off to county Cork to take part in the national final of the Briery Gap Drama Competition!
In the morning we had Sci-Fest judges coming around to see our projects.Each project was given a number and space on the wall to stick up their poster.My group;which was number 3,did a project on dreams.We wanted to find out if things we eat effect what we dream about;we discovered that our dreams have nothing to with food we eat before bed.Dreams are based on memories and your mood.When the judges came around we had to do a short presentation about our project.I didn't get a chance to read any of the other projects because before judging was even finished 10 classmates and I hopped onto a bus and drove to Cork for the drama competition.
Even though my group didn't get through to the national final the other group in my class did;and they offered me a place in their drama because a few girls had to go to a choir competition.After a three hour bus journey we made it to Cork safely. We were only in there for an hour but we all really enjoyed ourselves even though a few thing went wrong.
The drama was about homelessness and how it can effect family life,it was also about prejudices against homeless people.I had a very small role so I was appointed Stage Left Manager!I didn't really have to do much,only take a school bag off the stage when the lights when down but I didn't mind.We did make a few mistakes but we think they went unnoticed by the judges.In the first scene someone left the stage too early and had to walk in a circle to make it look like she was suppose to move.And at the end Eimear thinks she made a mistake in her monologue but to be honest I don't think anyone noticed.
After the drama we headed back to the bus and set off on our way home.We were all hungry so the teachers with us let us stop in McDonald's.On our way home there was a traffic jam on the motorway so we had to take the long way home.We were stuck on the bus for four hours;which was not very fun when your tired and bored;eventually we made it home though.
We won't find out if we won any awards until after Monday because the competition is still on over the weekend.I have really enjoyed taking part in the competition and I have learned a lot about writing dramas and taking part in them.Like,how you have to write stage directions on the script and when your speaking on stage you have to talk really loudly.

Lollipop Day!

Today we went into Dublin to help raise money for Lollipop Day,which is the 22nd and 23rd of February.We were raising money for the Oesophageal Cancer Fund.We arrived in town at 10 o'clock;then we each received a cap,t-shirt and collecting box full of lollipops,badges and stickers.Then we divided into groups of 3 or 4 and set off to stand at our designated places.When people donated €2 we gave them a either a bagde or a lollipop.I donated €2 so I got a bagde!Even though we were all freezing by the end of the day we all had a really good time and raised lots of money for the Oesophageal Caner Fund!

Briery Gap Drama Comp.

Today my class went on a trip to Mullingar to take part in the Briery Gap Drama Competition.It was a very enjoyable day!
We left the school at 9:15 and arrived at 10:50.We didn't have to preform our plays until 1 o'clock so we had time to go to McDonald and get something to eat.After we had had something to eat everyone got into their costumes and each group had a chance to practise before going out to preform in font of the judges.
My groups drama went really well but before we went on stage everyone was quite nervous.After we did our play we got to watch the other group do their play.After each group had preformed we had an hour and a half to do whatever we liked until the bus came to take us home.Some peopls stayed an watched the other schools preform and other went to the sweet shop.
But a few girls and I decided to go for a walk(well more like a run) to the playground around the corner.There;we went on the basket and a zip wire,then we walked over to a small lake and saw some ducks and swans and there was some exercise machines there to so we went on them for a while and took lots of photos;but then it started to rain.We started to walk back to our meeting place when it started to lash rain;we all got soaked as we ran down the road.I stepped in loads of puddles and by the time we got back we were all drenched.When we got back we dried our hair under the hand dryers in the bathrooms and put our coats on the radiators;we all thought our teacher was going to give out but she didn't seem to mind because we got back in time for the bus.
Today I had a really good time and I hope we (or the other group) get through to the national finals so we can go to Cork for the competition!

BT Young Scientist

Yesterday all the TYs and second years went on a trip to the RDS in Dublin to see the Young scientist exhibition.We left the school at 9 o'clock and arrived at the RDS at around 10.I went to go see the stand from our school;they did their project on how the weight of school bags effect peoples spines.It was really interesting and I learnt lots.I learnt that if you are good at maths you will be good at music;which is actually true because I'm not very good at either subject but my friend is really good at maths and she is also good at music.In the RDS I saw a robot and loads of projects.I got lots of free stuff which was really cool;I got a tree which I am going to plant I'm my back garden and I also go lots of posters,pens and pencils!It was a really good day even tough it was my 3rd time going.

The last day of my first term in TY! :)

Since we finished our exams yesterday we go to have a treat today.We had a party in the library which was hosted by the other class and went bowling afterwards.
At our party we had sweets and drinks and sang Christmas songs.We also got our Kris Kindle presents from Santa!after we got our pressies we did the chacha slide and did a limbo contest.
After our party we all got on the bus and went bowling.It was really fun and I came 6th in my lane!!(there was only 6 people per lane)After an hour of bowling we went to the shopping centre for something to eat and then got back on the bus and made it home for ten to three.
Ive really enjoyed my first term in Ty and I'm really looking forward to after Christmas to start some new projects.After a long tiring term now we finally get to enjoy our Christmas holidays at last!

Ballet

On Friday we went on a trip to see The Nutcracker Suit and A Christmas Tale ballet show.It wasn't  like anything I expected.I found the first half of the show a bit boring because it was really random.One minute there was people dressed in white the next minute they were genies.It was really weird;but I really enjoyed the part after the interval because there was a story to follow.Even though there was no talking I understood the story by the music that was playing.After the ballet everyone was really tired and we got on the bus and went home.

Mini Company Workshop-Best Day Ever

Yesterday,since my year is taking part in the mini company TY project,we went to Odeon Cinema for a workshop.In the workshop we were suppose to be learning how to start running our mini company but the speaker who was suppose to do it with us was sick and rushed off to hospital.We were all in the cinema before we knew this so our buses had gone home and we had no way of returning to school;so the nice people in the cinema let us see the new James Bond movie 'Sky fall' for free!This was really kind of them and we all really enjoyed the movie.After the film the people who worked there gave everyone a bag of sweets,popcorn and a drink;and a Madagascar 3 cup!When we arrived back at the school it was lunch time and all the other years were really jealous because we got to see the movie during a school!

Since we missed the mini company workshop we have to have another one a different day.My mini company is coming along well but we still have a long way to go before we start selling.My company makes magnetic frames out of recycled materials!Each one is unique and is decorated by our production team!Heres a few of the frames we have already made:

Our Trip Carlingford Adventure Centre!

On Monday morning all the TYs got up really early to get a bus to go to Carlingford!Everyone was so tired but it was worth getting up early because we had a great time!
On Monday when we arrived we got divided up into our bedrooms,then we set out for our first activity;laser combat!For laser combat we all had to dress in green jumpsuits and wear matching hats!We also had to wear little red lights on our heads and carry very heavy laser guns up a mountain.When we arrived in the forest after a really long walk we played 3 different games.My favourite was the one were we had to capture a teddy bear,which was guarded by the other team,with out getting killed.Even though my team lost it was still really fun!
After lunch on Monday we went out onto the lake and did kayaking!It was freezing out on the lake but we still had loads of fun.We kayaked to the opposite side of the lake and got out of our boats to see a waterfall.The story behind the waterfall was that if you held your head under it,it would add an extra day onto your life!Everyone put there head under the waterfall and then we went back to the centre for some dinner.
After dinner we did an activity called Night Line.We walked up the mountain again and when we reached the forest we put on blindfolds.We all stood in a straight line and held the person in front of us shoulders so we wouldn't get lost when we went into the forest.We walked into the forest in the pitch dark wearing a blindfold and walked around for an hour.It was so scary because one of our teachers squirted water at us as we walked around and the instructors threw leaves at us too.While we were in the forest the everyone was shouting 'Tree on the left!' 'Becareful its slippery here!' and 'Watch your step theres a root ahead!'.It was a really fun activity and when we were finished we walked back to the centre in the dark.

When we got back we had to free time so everyone went to the Chinese or the chipper.We went back to our rooms and ate loads of sweets before going to bed!The next morning Mrs L called us to get up at 10 past 7 in the morning!We spent an hour cleaning our room and packing up before going down for breakfast.

After breakfast my group went Zorbing!It was the funnest and scariest thing I have every done!I was strapped into a giant plastic ball and got pushed down a hill!It was so fun but also scary because I was going down backwards and upside down and when I got to the end of the hill I was so dizzy!After Zorbing we went to do High Wire!I climbed 30 feet into the air and then walked across a tightrope in the wind and rain!It was so scary but really fun!

After lunch on Tuesday we climbed back a hill and did the Challenge Course!There we did lots of mini challenges like the Low Ropes and Gutterball!After completing a mini challenge the team received gems.My team collected 14 gems and won over all against the other teams.Then we went back to the centre to collect our bags and get on the bus to go home.

Group Photo :)(there's me in the pink on the right!!)

 Zorbing!!

 Zorbing!!

 Challenge course!!

The High Wire!!

We arrived home at 7 o'clock on Tuesday evening;everyone was so tired when we got off the bus but that didn't stop everyone from coming into school today to do workshops!The next day we had a really fun workshop with a lovely lady from Postitive Parties!