Boyne Community School's tributes to departing students

It has been an exciting and emotional couple of weeks for staff and students of Boyne Community School as both transition year and Leaving Cert students graduated from their respective programmes. Students, teachers and parents recently assembled in the school to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of the transition year students of 2009/2010. The enormous variety and breadth of achievements were on display for all to appreciate and the assembled guests were treated to a viewing of the Boyne Community School DVD which the TY students compiled during the year. Students were awarded certificates of completion and competency in areas as diverse as entrepreneurship and first aid to law and cookery. Transition year co-ordinator, Ms Alma Coffey, praised the students for their participation in the programme and complimented them on their teamworking skills. Transition Year student of the Year was awarded to Shane O'Connor, who graciously received the award and thanked the staff and parents and also the employers who provided students with work experience throughout the year. The Leaving Cert graduation ceremony also took place at the school. As is tradition, the awards were presented following Mass, which was celebrated by Fr Mark Mohan, CC, Trim. The prinicpal, Ms Cahill, thanked the year group and praised them for their behaviour and attitude within the school during the course of their five years. She said that they were, and had been, a shining example to students in junior years and that they were the embodiment of the school moto of 'Meas, mortas, muintereas', meaning 'Pride, respect and belonging'. She concluded that they would be sorely missed by all of the staff and as she wished them well in their new beginnings, she reassured them that the door to Boyne Community School would always be open to them. Prizes were awarded in all areas of excellence, culminating in the Student of the Year award, which was presented by Liam Murphy, chairman of the board of management, to worthy winner, Colin Flynn. School chaplin, Mr Mark Donnelly, took the students outside to complete the ceremony where five Chinese lanterns were set alight and released into the evening sky. The five lanterns represented the five years the students had spent in the school and their release was symbolic of the students' transition to the next phase of their lives as they leave home and school, and bring the sense of pride, respect and friendship that has been cultivated within Boyne Community School to that next phase. Refreshments were provided by the parents' association, which presented a pen to each of the Leaving Cert students before they embarked on their final exams. Two students were invited back to the school for recognition of Outstanding Academic Excellence in Leaving Certificate 2009 and also Oustanding Academic Achievement in Science. The Science award was jointly shared this year, as both David Callaghan Moore and Abishek Wilson achieved an A1 in Biology, Physics and Chemistry at Leaving Cert Higher Level in 2009. Their outstanding achievement was acknowledged by Mr Oliver Mitchell, who taught both of the students. Abishek is studying Pharmacy at Trinity College, while David, who is studying Medicine in UCD, also took the award for Outstanding Academic Excellence in 2009.