A number of features of interest have appeared in Student Xpress
for the past 2 years.
Advising
Students
Student Councils
Student Councils are now active in practically every school in Ireland.
Student Xpress looks at a case study
of a Student Council run in the Presentation Secondary School in Ballyphehane,
Co. Cork. A number of the problems they have encountered and initiatives
undertaken are explored. Further in the article Luke Monahan talks in general
about how a school would set up their own council.
Junior Press
Junior Press is an international organisation dedicated to promoting newspapers
in Europe written by students. Visit the Junior
Press Website. They have a database of many Junior Press initiatives
across Europe. They provide young people with guidelines for writing articles,
censorship laws and the rights of young journalists. One of their objectives
is to promote the idea of a junior press card.
Each year they hold a conference where young journalists from around Europe
are invited. A number of journalists from Student Xpress
were invited to Paris this year. Details of this conference and the topics
of discussion at their workshops are set out in detail on the website.
Back to the top
Environmental
Issues
Wild Ireland
Wild Ireland has already made quite an impact in the relatively short
space of time it has been in operation. The company was the brainchild
of a number of individuals who all share a passion for wildlife and the
environment. The pool of skills and qualifications used to create the
Wild Ireland concept and website include graphic and web design, photography
and videography, diving, marine biology, geology, marketing and project
management.
Rubbishing Ireland
Recycling our rubbish is an important aspect of how we take care of our
environment. Kevin O'Connor and Jean-Christophe Izart from Cyclope Recycling
examine Ireland's waste crisis. More information can be obtained from
ENFO, Ireland's information service for
environmental matters.
Back to the top
Issues
of Concern
Childrens Right's
The Rights of a Child
The way a society treats its children reflects not only its qualities
of compassion and protective caring, but also its sense of justice, its
commitment to the future and its urge to enhance the human condition for
coming generations.
Child Soldiers Fighting Wars
In Uganda, children make up 90% of the opposition army.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child
A 'child' is defined as someone below the age of 18 deserving of the rights
set out in the Convention. There are 41 articles in all covering the rights
of children.
Fighting Twins
Johnny and Luther Htoo are 12 year-old twins. Their followers believe
the twins, commanders of the rebel group God's Army, have mystical powers
and can save their downtrodden people.
Child Labour
Bring Christmas Cheer to the World
Justin Killcullen, Trocaire's Director, examines the issue of child
labour. Click onto Trocaire's Website
to read more about the work of this charity organisation.
Fact File: The Plight of Children Today
and what your money can do are discussed.
Child Slavery
Slave Labour: A Reality in the 21st. Century
Clare Holohan reports on a phenomenon created by economics.
Cocoa Plant Slaves
Boys work for nothing in the Ivory Coast.
Iqbal's Dream
The remarkable story of a Pakistani boy who escaped slavery and helped
many others to freedom.
A Bullet can't Kill a Dream
A teenager who brought about real change
Anorexia Nervosa
'Anorexia Nervosa , extreme body emaciation caused by emotional or
psychological aversion to foods and to eating. The condition occurs predominantly
in young women'. (Britannica Encyclopaedia).
Starving for Success???
Frances Smith, St. Joseph's Secondary School, Newtownforbes, writes about
producers who feel these days that beauty is represented by a thin, scrawny,
skin-and-bones girl. This is not beauty. This is disastrous! It is time
to really see the story behind the bill-board image and to recognise the
false dream it represents, once and for all.
Anorexia Nervosa - the facts
Grainne Donovan, Regina Mundi College, Cork outlines the facts behind
this condition.
Back to the top
Educational
Issues
Learning the Internet
Mike Carey (St. Eunan's, Letterkenny) developed his own website.
He shared the experience of setting up his own website by writing a number
of articles explaining how he went about it. We reproduce the articles
here as a set of lessons.
Lesson I: Getting Started
Lesson II: Building a Webpage
Lesson III: Adding Cool touches to your page
and Cool Sites
Lesson IV: Search Engines and earning money
on the internet
Chataway: Petra Madill (Transition year),
Holy Child Community School, Sallynoggin, discusses Chatrooms.
History Stuff
The History Department of Riversdale Community College has published
a number of articles in Student Xpress
of interest to history students.
A Tragic Love Affair
It was love at first sight. That hot July in 1880 was to be the starting
point of a long, complicated relationship. In 1881 the couple began living
together for short periods of time. Katherine had found the type of companionship
she had always longed for.....
The Sinking of the Lusitania
As the passengers on deck enjoyed a view of the Irish coastline, some
noticed a slight disturbance on the mirror-calm sea off the starboard
bow. The thin streak of white foam was generated by a torpedo as it sped
toward the Lusitania. An explosion under the bridge of the ship was quickly
followed by another and the bow of the ship began to dip into the sea......
What is Quidditch?
Alan Early has a passion for Harry Potter books. He tells us why.
Why Harry Potter books are so good?
The reason the books work so well is simple. It's something that few children's
writers have picked up on. Don't patronise the reader. Each of Harry's
adventures are different and individual and contain enough twists and
turns for an Irish backroad. The complex plots are intricately planned
and layered and often have you guessing twice.
Reviews of the Harry Potter novels
Alan Early gives a short summary of the Harry Potter books:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Letter to the Editor
I would just like to tell you what happened to me since you published
my article entitled 'What is Quidditch?' I was just sitting in class when,
all of a sudden, my name was called over the intercom......
Back to the top
Getting
Involved
Paths to Peace
The Tim Parry Scholarship and the Glencree Reconciliation Centre
aim to promote peace on this island through understanding. The Glencree
Centre outlines a number of courses they offer to schools.
Concern Debates
Since their inception in 1983 over 11,000 students have participated in
the Concern Debates, with thousands more assisting in Research and support
activities. Each year over 180 debates take place in 90 venues requiring
540 adjudicators. Sinead Kirwan, a debates student from St. Peter's
College in Dunboyne, writes about her Life as a Debater.
Goal Link
The Goal-Aidlink St.Patrick's Day Badge Project is a charity run by fourth
year students in Blackrock College, Dublin. We generate funds for the
Third World through the sale of shamrock shaped badges, climaxing around
St. Patrick's Day. We split our funds between two large Irish charities:
Goal and Aidlink.
The Asgard
Sarah Doyle (Dominican College, Wicklow) spent a week on Asgard
II. This is her story.
Back to the top
Music
JJ72
Last year a debate took place in the pages of Student Xpress
on the merits or otherwise of the band, JJ72. David Hayden, Blackrock
College, got the ball rolling by describing JJ72 as the next U2. Oisin
Horgan, Skerries CC, replied in the following issue that there was no
basis to David's assertions. A number of letters followed in the letters
page continuing the argument.
The Future of Irish Rock
'I have no doubt we'll be hearing a lot more of them in the near future
as October Swimmer and Snow are undoubtedly the most impressive
debut singles to come out of the Irish music scene in recent memory'.
David Hayden, Blackrock College, is in no doubt that JJ72 are the band
of the future.
Are they Really that Good?
'While meaning no disrespect to JJ72 or to David for that matter, his
claim that JJ72 are original is ridiculous. It's impossible to miss the
fact that JJ72 are using the exact same three piece set-up that Nirvana
achieved success with in 1991.' Oisin Horgan, Skerries CC, disagrees with
David Hayden.
Letter #1
David Hayden hits back.
Letter #2
Mairead McGuinness, St.Joseph's Secondary School, Newtownforbes, Co. Longford
joins the debate.
Letter #3
Oisin Horgan replies.
Napster
Napster is a community of music lovers who can log on to this free
service and download almost any song. Shawn Fanning, a 20-year-old
Irish-American college student from Massachusetts, invented this free
service. It has faced many challeges from the established music industry
who view it as a threat to their industry. Click on to the Napster
website and get the latest information on their legal battles.
The Napster Debate
Conor O'Callaghan reports on a music revolution.
Shawn Fanning Profiled
The whizz kid who developed Napster.
Eminem
Eminem's real name is Marshal Mathers. He is a white rap artist.
The content of his albums is controversial.
Who is the real slim shady?
Albert Price, Dundrum College, analyses the person, the controversy he
has created and the lyrics of his songs.
Eminem in Britain
The infamous "Slim Shady" recently caused uproar during the British leg
of his European tour. America's most prestigious white rapper was overwhelmed
by the legions of protesters awaiting him. Ann Mahon reports.
Back to the top
Sport
Basketball Finals
Welcome to the Bank of Ireland Schools Cup Finals, some of the
most action packed and exciting basketball you could every hope to see
in Ireland. Bank of Ireland have been supporting the Schools Cup since
1993. The National Basketball Arena has hosted the finals with capacity
crowds creating a pulsating atmosphere. This year's finals include schools
from eight counties from the South all the way up to Donegal. A massive
154 boys and girls senior teams entered this season's cup draw which took
place at the Schools Annual Coaching Conference in Portlaoise in September.
More reports on basketball can be found on the students section of the
Bank
of Ireland website.
Back to the top
News
Nationwide News
Student Xpress covered a series of
news items around the country last year.
Less Stress, More Success
Less Stress More Success Gill & Macmillan Revision Time competition.
Building Bridges in Cabinteely
To celebrate the Millennium, a group of Cabinteely Community School students
embarked on an ambitious project which involved 'Building bridges between
the Cabinteely student body and people with disabilities'.
Pot Noodle Awards
Students from secondary schools nationwide were invited to work alone
or in pairs to create their own 40-second radio commercial and demonstrate
their considerable creative skills. This is the second year of the award
scheme and over 1,000 entries were received.
O'Hagen Mace Debating Awards
The O'Hagan Mace Debating Championship is organised by the Literary
and Historical Society of University College Dublin and is sponsored
by O'Hagan Communications.
Anti-Bullying in Athboy
The course was the first of its kind in Ireland and aimed to develop an
anti-bullying strategy for students. Students were taught the language
of bullying, how to identify verbal, physical and psychological bullying
and how to develop strategies for handling bullying.
IBIS Working for Primary Schools
The Irish Banks Information Service launched their latest resource for
primary schools.
Back to the top
|