St Patrick’s primary school in Galway city has won a mental health award for an action plan which aimed to make a difference in the mental health of their pupils.
Five schools won Mission Possible awards from Walk in My Shoes, with each of the winning schools receiving €600.
St Pat’s, which took home the Best Programme Activity award, ran several initiatives and events from Christmas concerts and gardening initiatives to performing on Shop Street live on national television.
They hosted kindness awards and set up a Music Shelter as a place where students can sit and sing – even when it is raining.
The Mission Possible awards opened for entry in January, with applications closing in March.
A judging panel reviewed all the shortlisted entries, taking the goals and outcomes of the different initiatives into consideration.
Judges included Amanda McArdle, WIMS Campaign Manager; Paul Gilligan, Chief Executive Officer of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS); and Maire Brid Ni Chonghaile, Guidance Counsellor and WIMS Advisory Panel member.
Amanda McArdle said that there is a deep understanding in schools across Ireland of the importance of mental health.
“The challenges we have all faced over the last two years and the role schools have played in helping children and young people to deal with them has really underlined this.
“The entries we received to this year’s Mission Possible awards blew me away with the skill, inventiveness and passion of teachers and students show in making mental health and wellbeing a real priority.”
