As this year’s Young News Readers project approaches, thousands of pupils across Ireland are getting ready to change classrooms into newsrooms.
The award-winning literacy project for children aged 8-12 delivers eight weeks of classroom activities including a weekly bespoke paper.
Starting on April 17, the material will address different themes every week with issues affecting young people.
Sponsorship for this year’s project comes from EY, Belfast Zoo, St Mary’s University College and Colin Glen.
Encouraging more schools to get involved this year, St Mary’s principal Professor Peter Finn said he was delighted to continue his support.
“The project provides a great range of articles, features and stories at regional, national and international levels,” he said.
“Teachers and learners can work collaboratively in search of truth in the news. In that regard, the underlying process of critical reading develops thinking skills and learning behaviours that are particularly important in a time of uncertainty in our world.
“The Young News Readers Media Project is therefore an excellent resource for raising educational aspiration.”
A spokesperson for EY added: “We’re delighted to be working with The Irish News for a fourth year to support the Young News Readers Media Project.
“At EY, empowering our people with the skills to navigate a complex world is key to how we work. Therefore, as part of the Young Readers project, we hope to help students discover these skills, unlock new passions, explore potential career paths and develop better self-awareness through creativity, innovation, communication and collaboration, all of which are essential for building a better working world.”
Julie Bryans from Belfast Zoo said that as local and global wildlife is increasingly under threat, the Young News Readers project was the perfect way for pupils to increase their awareness of the world around them.
As well as a tourist visitor attraction, she said Belfast Zoo’s conservation work and education outreach inspired “an appreciation of the magnificence of wildlife and habitats.”
“By sponsoring the Young Readers project, we are proud to be part of a platform that actively engages, empowers, develops and inspires young people and future generations to discover the world around us, giving them a voice and letting them know their voice matters.”
Further information on how schools can sign up is available at this location.
