31st Jan 2025
Soccer
Loreto Wexford defeated St Mary’s Arklow in the Division 1 Regional Quarter-Final. Goals from Ciara Murphy, Mia Denton (free kick), and Emma McEldowney (stunning solo effort) sealed the win in tough conditions. They face Templecarraig in the semi-final.
Mathematics Inspection:
I wish to thank all members of the school community for their engagement with the Maths Inspector during the week. The school received some very positive feedback, and we look forward to the publication of the final report in the coming months.
Subject Choice Fair:
Thanks to all 5th and 6th year subject leaders for sharing their experience of the Leaving Certificate curriculum with our TY students. Their firsthand experience helps our students to make informed choices going into 5th year.
Trinity College Entrance Exhibition Awards:
We congratulate Eve Donohue (LC 2024) on securing the prestigious Trinity College Entrance Exhibition award last week. Mr. O’ Dowd was delighted to attend on behalf of the school.
Multicultural Week:
Inclusion Committee Meeting Report – Date: 22 January 2025 by Haya Alkasem
Multicultural Week Overview
The annual Multicultural Week will be celebrated from the 24th to the 28th of February 2025, showcasing cultural diversity and fostering inclusivity. Representatives from over 19 countries will participate in this significant event.
Theme
The theme for this year is “Our Emblem, Our Identity”, aiming to highlight the distinct
characteristics that define and unite cultures globally. As part of this initiative, tailored
PowerPoint presentations will be conducted for 1st and 4th year students. These sessions
will provide insights into the history, politics, food, music, and clothing of the countries
represented, offering a foundational understanding of the cultures showcased.
Key Activities
1. Educational Talk on Human Rights:
A focused session on human rights with 1st years will emphasise the importance of equality and the fundamental principle that everyone deserves the same respect and opportunities.
2. Newsletter Interviews:
For the committee’s monthly newsletter, interviews will be conducted with multicultural volunteers to explore their cultural backgrounds and personal stories. These
interviews aim to deepen connections and enhance the understanding of diverse
cultural narratives. They will be published on our school website and social media pages.
o Interviewees:
▪ Isha Amodu
▪ Aliza Krompane
– Jocelyn Sparrow
3. Multicultural Fashion Show & Stands, Thursday 27th February
Volunteers for Multicultural Week 2025
Theme: ‘Our Emblem, Our Identity’
| Culture | Students |
| Syria | Hanin Al Kasem & Haya Al Kasem |
| Turkey | Ilayda Emen, Veda Hanley O’ Leary |
| Lithuania | Ieva Sniezkaite, Gabija Varnauskaite, Ruby Kavanagh |
| Zimbabwe | Kirsty Nyadenga Maenzanise, Kristy Asante Maenzanise |
| Pakistan | Aleaseya Furquan, Auj Khan, Rayan Khan |
| Latvia | Alisa Krompane, Hanna Hearne |
| England | Jessie Larkin, Katie Ennis |
| Germany | Ella Duggan, Marlene Fenton & Anne Friedrich |
| India | Jiya Varghese, Jenna Varghese, Avril Allwin, Michelle Nixon |
| Ireland | Vivienne Moran, Roisin Moran, Aoife Gorman |
| Poland | Kinga Godula, Emma Walsh, Julia Saska, Sophie Zydorek |
| 15. School of Sanctuary | Lucy Geoghegan, Robyn Parle, Nykia Quigley, Rosie Kenny |
| 16. Italy | Julia Barret, Nadia Barron |
| 17. Ukraine | Veronica Tuz |
| 18. Canada | Mairead Alouf, Roisin Reynolds |
| 19. USA | Rylee Milliken, Muireann Drumm, Caoimhe & Sophie Hayes, Fia Henwick, Ashley Howlin |
| 20. South Africa | Akira Rose, Leah Rose, Saheli Moodley, Jocelyn Sparrow, Isha Amodu |
| 21. Russia | Ariana O’ Callaghan, Grace O’ Leary |
| 22. France | Sophie Doyle, Christina Molloy, Jagoda, Abbie Bolger, Marianne Coulet, Isabella Gondard |
MCs for Fashion Show: Lauryn Tracy & Haya Al Kasem
Diverse Voices
An important job of the Inclusion Committee is to give everyone a voice. Sometimes we might unintentionally overlook the voices of those from a minority group and miss a valuable chance to learn more about our wonderfully diverse school community. In this new regular feature, we hope to share the interesting stories of students from diverse backgrounds.
As we prepare for Multicultural Week on the 24th of February, we hear this week from 3rd Year student, Jocelyn Sparrow who will represent South Africa.
Name: Jocelyn Sparrow
Age: 15
Year: 3.5
Country of birth: KwaZulu Natal (KZN), South Africa
Parents country of birth: As above
Tell us about your homeplace:
I lived in KZN until I was 14 years old. I grew up in a town called Howick in KZN which is similar in size to Wexford. I had lots of relatives living nearby. The weather was extremely hot, up to 35 degrees Celsius in summer, which takes place from November to January in South Africa. Our school year starts in January and ends in December, and we have 4 terms. I had completed a year and a half of high school when we moved to Ireland. My school was a co-ed school and 1st year is called Grade 7. My family moved to Ireland because there are better options here for universities and many more job opportunities. I would like to be a vet after school and there is only one university in South Africa where you can apply to be a vet with limited places.
I miss my friends and living close to my relatives. We have some relatives here but not as many as we had in KZN. I also really miss Biltong, which is basically dried steak with spices. It’s pretty impossible to get it in Ireland but luckily my brother brought his Biltong drier to Ireland so he can make it from scratch here. I hope to have some samples on my stand for Multicultural Week so you can all taste how amazing it is!
My favourite memory:
One of my favourite memories is camping at Silverstreams campsite. My family would rent a cabin every summer for a week or so and we would swim in the streams, walk the dogs and go on long bicycle rides. The weather was guaranteed to be sunny every day.
I loved horse-riding in SA, and I had a horse called Firefly. Unfortunately, she had to remain behind in South Africa. I have taken up horse-riding here in Ireland, but I still miss Firefly and get updates on how she’s doing regularly. Luckily, we were able to bring our dogs with us to Ireland. Their names are Blu, Ruger and Willow- Ruger is a border collie and the other two are dachshunds.
My thoughts on Multicultural Week:
This is my first Multicultural Week so I’m really looking forward to learning about other people’s cultures and sharing the best parts of my own culture with others too.
Life in South Africa:
English is the main language of South Africa but there are many languages spoken, for example some of the more popular ones would be Afrikaans and Zulu. The wildlife and the national parks are amazing. I have visited the parks and seen lions, leopards and elephants to name a few. It’s not like Dublin Zoo. The animals are in their natural habitat but fenced in and you go on a safari drive to see them. It’s a really special experience. When I was in Grade 7 (age 12), my entire grade (70-80 students) went to Botswana for 10 days and visited different camps in the park there. We went on many safari drives. The main animals of South Africa are The Big Five. The Big Five animals comprise of Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo. We saw each of The Big Five on our school trip!
What South Africa is bringing to Multicultural Week this year:
This year I am delighted to be representing South Africa with Akira Rose, Leah Rose, Saheli Moodley and Isha Amodu. We are still in the planning stages, but we would like to model the traditional Zulu clothes. We hope to have lots of traditional South African foods such as Biltong and Milk-tart to sample on our stand. The currency of South Africa is the rand, and I will have that on the stand too.
Life at the moment: I am still getting used to the cold in Ireland! I am happy with my life here and I’ve made lots of friends. I look forward to visiting South Africa again in the next year or so.
If you would like to feature in ‘Diverse Voices’ or if you would like to represent your culture during Multicultural Week, please contact michellejordan@loretowexford.com
New members are welcome!
Contact: michellejordan@loretowexford.co
Forthcoming Events/Dates to Note:
· Monday, 3 February – School closed (Bank Holiday)
· Tuesday, 4 February to Friday, 14 February – Mock exams
· Wednesday, 5 February – 5th Year Parent – Teacher Meeting (16.15 – 18.45) Note, school will finish at 14.50 for all students.
