June 2013
Soundtrack of our Lives
On 26th June four of our pupils, Rona Bell, Aiden McGinley, Sean Herron and Blanáid Barr, attended the launch of the Soundtrack of our Lives anthology. The pupils, along with Katie Ball who was unable to attend, had submitted short stories for the anthology as part of a collaborative project with other schools in the Derry area. We hope that the pupils will continue to write and we await their published works in the future.
Year 11 Visit The Trading Room at Queen's University Belfast
The success of Jonathan Gardiner and Shea Nicell in the Stock Market Challenge held in January this year led to an invite to the whole class to visit the Trading Room at Queen's University.
Based at Riddel Hall in Belfast, the room replicates New York and London stock market trading rooms to give a real-life experience of a busy stock exchange with the capacity to deal in equities, bonds, foreign exchange and derivatives.
Gareth Campbell from Queen's University Management School explained to the class some of the decision making processes involved and showed the class the first steps that might be made by an investment analyst.
Gareth guided the pupils to use the School's software to look up the types of financial reports, expert recommendations, and industry predictions that are used in the world of business.
Our pupils had a great time and gained insights into the possible career options that are available.
City Hotel Visual Arts Competition
Year 14 Art students Aoife McLaughlin and Gemma Boyle received £50 each from the Mayor of Derry after their work was shortlisted in the City Hotel Visual Arts Competition. The theme of the competition was 'Our City'. Aoife submitted a painting entitled 'The passing of time' and Gemma submitted a pen and wash piece entitled 'Midnight in Derry'. Their work was displayed in the Void Gallery in Patrick Street.
Year 9 Students Achieve Inspire and Aspire Awards
The following students were presented with awards at the Inspire>Aspire Awards Ceremony at Stormont, Belfast, Thursday 20th June 13. Awards presented by Michael Mc Killop
Bronze finalists: Cora Gormley, Laura Hockley
Special Commendation: Orla Hughes
Inspire>Aspire is an education programme inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The aim of it is character development in young people. Pupils are asked to reflect on the key Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect, along with the paralympic values of determination, courage, equality and inspiration.
Year 9 Go4SET Engineering Programme
The Go4SET initiative is designed to stimulate the interest of young people in STEM. This is an extended activity for KS3 students, delivered by Sentinus in partnership with the Engineering Development Trust. It is careers and education focused.
Four year 9 students, Mark Harley, Caoimhin mc Gowan, Alan Montgomery and Ciaran Taggert completed a project on Rainwater Harvesting in School.
Our link engineer was Roisin Crawford of STEM Aware. Roisin was the driving force behind this project, coming in weekly, providing guidance and direction to our pupils. A heartfelt thank you to Roisin as we could not have completed this project without you!
School Prizegiving Ceremonies
One of the items arising from our Parental Audit earlier this year was a desire to use School Prizegiving to celebrate the achievements of more students particularly in the early years of the college. This coincided with our own concerns that the talents, achievements and successes of so many of our students were not being shared or celebrated as widely as they could be within the college.
Accordingly, we have reviewed the arrangements for Junior Prizegiving in September and have decided to hold a Prizegiving Celebration - rather than a formal ceremony - on the afternoon of Friday 13th September. This will be a more informal setting with music, refreshments and a wider range of school awards
While we appreciate that, due the numbers involved and the daytime setting, parents would no longer be present, it also means that all our students in Years 8-11 will be able to participate in and enjoy the occasion of a prizegiving.
We thus hope that these new arrangements for pupils in Years 8-11 will recognise the achievement of our young people among their peers and the inclusion of all our students in celebrating all their successes.
The Senior Prizegiving Ceremony will continue in its present format in the coming year and will take place on Thursday 12th September for parents and pupils alike. In light of a proposed future review of these arrangements, we would welcome any comments from parents in the new term.
Lumen Christi College receive their second Green Flag Award
Pictured are members of the Eco-Committee; Conal McGinley, Tim McDaid, Donna Harkin, Laura Devine, Eva Kerr, Michael McSwiggan and Aaron Murray and Geography Teachers Miss Diffley and Mrs McMenamin.
Science Club Scoop Top Awards at Scifest
Well done to all the members of Lumen Christi College Science club who had a very successful day at The Northwest Scifest 2013 at University of Ulster Magee Campus on 11th June 2013.
We are delighted with all the prizes that we won and we are especially pleased to have gained the top award which was won by sisters Donna and Sinead Harkin for their project ‘Supercool Physics'. They will now travel to Dublin to take part in the national final competition in the Science Gallery, Trinity College on 22nd November 2013.
Year 9 students Aine Higgins and Joanna Mc Swiggan won the NCE-MSTL Maths in Science Award. Their project was titled ‘Modelling Mathematics in Nature'. This award was sponsored by the National Centre for excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning.
Year 10 students, Emmanuella Akhionbare, Rebecca Doherty and Aisling mc Corkell won the PharamaChemical Ireland Chemistry Award. Their project was titled ‘Our Acidyfing Oceans-is Carbon Dioxide Putting Our Oceans at Risk?'
Year 11 students, Eva Kerr and Blaithin Thomasius won The Life Sciences intermediate award for their project, ‘The Stability of Vitamin C in Food Aid for Developing Countries'
Also congratulations to Mrs Gill who received the RSC Teacher of Chemistry Award 2013.
In addition Matthew Barr & Peter Mc Laughlin's project called ‘Light Impact' has been chosen by School Employer Connections to be showcased at Culture TECH junior, Thurs 12th- 14th September at The Venue in Ebrington.
This science fair is sponsored by the SciFest organisation and our local platinum sponsor Seagate Technology. Students in second level education from all over the Northwest attended.
Mrs Gill would like to thank and congratulate all our science club members for their regular attendance and participation in events such as this. "I have seen you all grow in confidence and stature throughout the year. I am so happy to see students enjoy and develop greater awareness in the best subject on the curriculum!" Mrs M.Gill.
Sisters Find the Winning Formula!
Sisters Donna Harkin Year 11 and Sinead Year 10 have won the prize for the Overall Best Project at the Northwest Sci-fest Competition in Magee with their Supercool Physics project. Well Done Girls!
Year 10 Retreat in Ards
Classes 10 C, D & E on their annual retreat in Ards Friary, Co Donegal. They spent the day reflecting on and celebrating their time spent together over the last three years. The theme of the day was Transition. They will soon be getting ready to move into Key Stage 4 and their new class groups.
Eco-Schools Awards
Lumen Christi Eco-Committee attend the Eco-Schools Awards
Lumen Christi College Sports Day 2013
Art Exhibition
Year 10 Student Council members meet Children's Commissioner at Thornhill Conference
Two members of Lumen Christi student council very ably represented the school at a question and answer session with the Children's Commissioner, Patricia Lewsley-Mooney. The event was hosted by Thornhill junior student council and six post primary schools from Derry attended. The Commissioner was put through her paces by the young people with questions ranging from how she became the Commissioner to lack of facilities for young people in Derry. Eoin Clarke and Tom White, representing Lumen Christi questioned the Commissioner on how she could help get the student voice heard in Stormont given that the politicians will not listen to each other! Mrs Lewsley -Mooney later commended the boys for their question and participation at the event.
Beautiful Sunshine
Students enjoying the beautiful sunshine over the past week.