Environmental Youth Speak Competition 2011

The annual schoolsí Environmental Youth Speak competition reached its climax at the Craigavon Civic and Conference Centre when fifty pupils from schools across Northern Ireland, representing all twenty six local Councils, competed for the coveted Regional and NI junior and senior titles.

Environmental Youth Speak is designed to encourage environmental awareness among young people by giving them the opportunity to research and debate environmental issues.  The competition, organised by Northern Irelandís three Waste Management Groups  - arc21 (Eastern region), SWaMP (Southern Waste Management Partnership) and North West Region Management Group - with sponsorship from Cookstown Textile Recyclers  and the Department of the Environmentís Rethink Waste Campaign, continues to be a highlight in the schools' environmental calendar in Northern Ireland.

The first part of a busy morning for the pupils saw them participate in the SWaMP, arc 21 and North West Regional heats. All participants were speaking on the topics of ìRethink Your Waste ñ reduce, reuse, recycleî and ìLove Food Hate Wasteî. After much deliberation by the judging panels the following pupils made it through to represent each Region in the NI Final:



SWaMP Junior                   Sean King, St Josephís PS, Meigh

Arc 21 Junior                      Jay Hall, Fourtowns PS, Ballymena

North West Junior              Eve Gairneir,  Gaelscoil an Chaistil, Ballycastle

SWaMP Senior                  Christopher Corry, Lismore Comprehensive Craigavon

Arc 21 Senior                      Alex Sheerin, Carrickfergus Grammar School

North West Senior             Laura Mc Carry, Cross and Passion College, Ballycastle