MEC Press Oct. 2019, Vol. 6 | Página 4

MEC News Roundup This term has been jammed packed with trips, events and many extra curricular activities. Last week our TYs were living their best lives in Paris on their TY school tour. Our diligent exam students have also now returned to the classroom after their Pre Mocks. Happy Midterm everyone! The National Ploughing Championships The Agricultural Science Dept. made the very best of September’s beautiful weather when they visited the National Ploughing Championships, Tuesday 17 th Sept. 53 students were accompanied by teachers Mr Holton, Ms McCauley, Ms Stagg, Ms O'Rourke and Ms Finnegan to Fenagh, Co. Carlow. The Ag. Science contingent left bright and early from school at 7.30 am to make the most of the day and spent the day observing and exploring various animals and Agri stalls. Some students even managed to hitch a lift on a tractor and trailer as well as witnessing President Michael D. Higgins’ opening address. The tired but happy crew arrived back at school for 16.00 pm. From Farm to Fork Our 6th Year Agricultural Science students have been busy digging up the potatoes they planted last April as part of their Leaving Certificate Ag. Science Project with Ms Stagg. After a hard day digging, they resourcefully handed them over to Ms Clarke's Home Ec. students. Home Economics students swiftly turned the potatoes into a lovely healthy alternative i.e. Spice Bag Fake Away. This delicious dish is lower in both salt and fat. The Ag. Science crew then tucked into some sample Spice Bags as a reward for embracing the Grow Your Own Trend. Farm to fork within 24 hours! CSPE Class 2B Plastic Awareness Campaign Academic Class 2B and Ms McKeown are channelling the momentum of ‘Fridays for Future’ to launch a MEC ‘Plastic Awareness Campaign’. Each day students can drop their single-use water bottles into a box in the Reception Area and Resource Area 1. A rota of enthusiastic 2B students will collect the box and recycle the bottles. With the support of Year Heads Mr McDonagh, Ms O’ Hagan and tutors, all 2nd years have signed a 'petition/commitment sheet' to show their support. Please urge your teens to recycle single-use plastics and bring a reusable water bottle to school. Water fountains have recently been installed on-site to promote a more sustainable lifestyle amongst our student body. 04 Maynooth Education Campus There are some short presentations on YouTube you can check out such as the trailer for ‘4ocean’, a 4 minute TEDtalk called ‘Lifecycle of a Plastic Bottle’ and ‘Plastic Roads’. Following their first meeting on the 24 th of September, the newly elected Student Council agreed to adopt ‘sustainability’ as one of their foremost goals for MEC this year. Stay tuned for more information in the next few months as MEC evolves towards a greener campus!