May 2013

Lumen Christi are once again showing their support of the British Heart Foundation. If you have any of the following that you no longer need, please feel free bring it along to the school :

• Clothes or accessories
• Shoes
• Handbags
• Books
• CDs &DVD's
• Bric-a-brac
• Children's toys.

Place the item in the RED BIN beside KS3 Merit Noticeboard.

We had 8 Students who travelled to the Antrim Forum to take part in the Ulster athletics schools finals. The school came away from the competition with 3 gold medals and 3 silver medals with 4 athletes in total qualifying for the all-Ireland championships.

Gold Medals

Jack McCloskey - 200M 400M
Claire Dougherty - Triple Jump

Silver Medals

Amy Jackson 800M 1500M
Michael Melarkey - Steeplechase

The following athletes competed extremely well and have a wealth of talent. We can be sure they will be athletes to look out for in the future.  
Niamh Watson - High Jump, Grainne O'Hara - High Jump, Erin McDevitt - 200M and Fionnuala Flanaghan - Javelin.

The PE department would like to congratulate all athletes as they did the school proud especially considering the adverse weather conditions.

On Wed 15th May Junior choir performed a short concert in the Chapel under the direction of UU placement student Miss Jennifer Marks. Jennifer had been in the music dept for several weeks on work experience and the project was an original idea of her own.

She took several rehearsals on a small interactive performance project using chants and percussion.
The concert was performed to year 8 pupils and parents and was a great success. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed working with Jennifer, who brought an energetic approach to the rehearsals. The music department wish to thank her for her work over the past 4 weeks.

The Sentinus Young Innovators Primary School K'Nex Challenge took place in school on Thursday 14th May. The event was organised by Mrs M Gill and delivered by the Sentinus organisation.

Sentinus has developed a range of design and build problem solving challenges for primary schools using K'Nex construction kits. Working in pairs the pupils set about building a structure to a specified design brief.
There were two workshop sessions and we had a full house on both occasions. Primary school students from all over the Northwest region were involved.

Their finished models were judged by Ms Rochelle O'Hara of Sentinus and winners will go on to participate in the final at Sentinus Young Innovators 2013, Monday 17th June 2013, @ Odyssey Arena, Belfast.

Year 14 Business Studies students at Lumen Christi College donate £286 to the Foyle Hospice from the proceeds of a raffle which they organised. Included in the photo along with the Year 14 students is Patrick O'Doherty, Principal, Michelle McGinn, Fundraiser for Foyle Hospice and Caroline Doherty-Clay, Head of Business Studies.

(The above picture appeared in the Derry News newspaper on Monday 6 May 2013.)

Year 10 Visit the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

Below is an article penned by Caoilinn Toland based on her experience.

On Monday 13th May we visited the NI Assembly at Stormont in Belfast. Our first impression of the building from outside was that it was very grand and powerful. The gardens and grounds surrounding the parliament were very well kept and in good condition. We also felt that the building was very safe and secure as we had to go through security screening to enter the parliament.

Firstly, we were taken to a room where we watched a presentation on the services Stormont provide and the history of the parliament. Our guide was very helpful and explained how Stormont works.

We were then visited by Mark H. Durkan, one of the MLAs that represent the Foyle Constituency. He told us about his work as an SDLP member and their current debate topics. He shared his views on these debates and what his party wish to achieve. He answered all of our questions and was very informative.

Next, we held a mock election with members of our class standing as candidates. Each person got a vote and we placed our votes in a ballot box. We learned more about the way elections work and how to vote correctly.

On our tour, we went up the famous main staircase and saw the statue of James Craig, the first ever prime minister of N. Ireland. We were told about his legacy and that he is buried on the Stormont estate.

We went to the Public Gallery to watch a debate in the Chamber. The politicians were debating a marine expansion issue. It was interesting to see a live debate on a topic that affects us in everyday life.

We continued our tour of the chambers and next went to the Senate Chamber. This chamber was very ornate and old fashioned, as it had been there many years. Our guide also explained more about the functions of this chamber and about the paintings on the walls.

This day was very informative and interesting. We learned a lot about the functions and services that the parliament provides and what they do for us.

Year 13 & 14 students receive the prestigious Millennium Gold Award (200 Volunteering Hours) in an awards ceremony which took place in the Titanic Quarter last month. Pictured with the group are Dr M Gormley, Head of 6th Form, and Mervyn Storey MLA

.

Staff and students from Year 13 and 14 at Lumen Christi College, demonstrated their overwhelming generosity and care for others, when the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service brought their bus to the college's grounds on Wednesday 1st May. 

By 4pm, they had met with 75 donors (including 52 new donors this year!).Well done to everyone who gave up their time - and blood units! Remember, giving blood saves lives!

We would like to express our sincerest thanks to all staff and students who supported our raffle.

We raised £286 in aid of the Foyle Hospice.

The winners of the draw was:

1st prize - Thermal Mug with the new school logo filled with chocolate bars
Ms L McGlinchey (English Department)

2nd prize - Ceramic Mug with the new school logo filled with chocolate bars
Alex Capper 14C.

Conal McGlinchey, Year 13, receives the Emelia Earhart Medal for Achievement on behalf of the Lumen Christi College Community Outreach Programme. Conal was accompanied on the day, which took place at the Guildhall, by Ryan Toland and Niall Coyle.

Students from Year 8-14 travelled to the Antrim forum to take part in the district athletics competition, 43 students in total competed and all can be proud with their performances.

The school came away from the competition with 5 gold medals, a silver and a bronze, with 8 athletes qualifying for the Ulster championships.

Gold Medals

Jack McCloskey - 200M 400M
Claire Dougherty - Triple Jump
Niamh Watson - High Jump
Grainne O'Hara - High Jump
Michael Melarkey - Steeplechase

Silver Medal

Erin McDevitt - 200M

Bronze Medal

Fionnuala Flanaghan - Javelin

The following students narrowly missed out on a medal place;

Eoin Matthewson - Shot Put
Michael Melarky - 800M
Thomas O'Hagan - 100M
Caoimhe Walsh - 800M
Zoe Doherty - 800M
Junior girls relay team (Niamh Watson, Erin McDevitt, Gemma Mullan, Rebecca Sweeney)
Minor girls relay team (Catherine Pierse, Hannah McLaughlin, Grainne O'Hara, Caoimhe Walsh)

The PE department would like to congratulate all athletes who took part, they did the school proud on such a dismal day.

On Monday 29th April Constable Liam Phillips, a member of the PSNI Neighbourhood Policing team, delivered an informative and thought-provoking presentation on Alcohol Awareness to our Year 9 students. In his presentation, Constable Phillips discussed the physical, emotional and social impacts of alcohol misuse and underage drinking on both the individual and society. Students watched CCTV footage of local incidents involving alcohol misuse and anti-social behaviour and following the presentation, students had the opportunity to ask Constable Phillips questions on this topic.

Students in years 8,9 & 10 who have attained full merits since September have been awarded Silver Merit Certificates at KS3 Assembly last week.

Congratulations to them all on their wonderful achievement!