Thursday 9 May 2013

Fairytale Take Me Out!

At the moment we are all busy preparing for TY night at the end of the year. TY night is when we display all that we have done over the year to our parents. We also do some performances for example all TYs are going to sing Bastile's "Pompeii". We are also doing a snipett from our Irish play "Deirdre agus Naoise". In english class we were in groups during the year and we had to come up with alternative endings. So lately we have been trying hard to come up with a way to showcase them in a play and involve everyone. So we decided as a class that the second scene of mine and Alana's play was going to be used. So Alana and I volunteered to write the script and direct the play. We brought loads of princesses into the scene so that as many people as possible would be involoved in the play. So we wrote the script and we are busy practicing it at the moment. It is really funny and we just hope it goes well on the night.!!

Thursday 2 May 2013

Gaisce Hike!

Last Friday we left school early and headed to Wicklow to do our 25 km hike for the Gaisce Presidents Award. Once we arrived in Wicklow we unpacked the bus and got started straight away. We did 10km on Friday night. It was fine for the most part however some of it was uphill and it was quite slippy. The mountain seemed to keep going on. However we finally reached the top and there was what looked like a large pile of rocks but was really an ancient burial site. We got to go in but it was very small and pitch black so we were crawling through in the dark. We then walked back down the mountain was very slippy and a lot of people fell. I hurt my ankle earlier that day so throughout the hike my foot was quite sore making the hike a lot more difficult for me. When we got back to the houses we made pizza and ate a lot of sweets. Unfortunately when we got back I checked my ankle which was badly bruised and badly swollen so I couldn't go on the rest of the hike on Saturday. I went home the next morning with one of our teachers. However we had loads of fun on Friday night it was just very unfortunate that I couldn't walk and finish the hike.

Swim a Mile, with a Smile!

On Friday 19th April, we participated in the charity event Swim a Mile with a Smile. The weeks coming up to the swim we got a sponsorship card. We raised money for the charity and all the money is going towards Barretstown and Crumlin Hospital. On the Friday we got the bus to the National Aquatic Centre where we were going to swim a mile. Some girls got into teams and they swam a mile together. I and other girls swam the mile on our own. A mile is 64 lengths of the Aquatic centre pool. It wasn't as bad as we thought it was going to be and it was good fun. After this we went to Blanchardstown where we had lunch. It was a really fun day and we raised a lot of money for a worthwhile cause.

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Tuesday 2 April 2013

Irish Play!

For what seems like a very long time we have been learning a play in Irish. We have been given parts, learning lines, making costumes, swords, windows and practicing our acting skills ( as well as our dancing skills ).
  We learned an old Irish play. I was the narrator so I had a good few lines to learn but they weren't very long or difficult so I didn't mind. Also I liked my role because others didn't have to witness my very bad acting.....
   I was also the dance coordinator. I had to teach the class a celili dance which was in one of the scenes in the play.
  We performed the play on our schools annual dress up day for St. Patrick's Day. We also did it then as it was "Seachtain na Gaeilge". We performed the play twice that day. At the start of the day in front of 5th years and at the end of the day in front of 2nd years and our fellow TY classes. It was really fun and we all had a good time dressing up and having fun. It went well and the experience was definitely something new for a lot of us. I really enjoyed working with the girls in my class to produce a play together. I am just glad I didn't have to act!

Sci fest Competition.

After we held the first round of the Sci fest competition in our school we were really excited when we heard we were through to the next round. So on Friday we headed to D.I.T for a day of science. 
     We were very nervous when we heard that only one project out of 75 gets through to the national final. But we did our best and we are proud of how things went. There were many impressive and interesting projects there so we weren't expecting miracles. Sadly we didn't get through. 
   The interviews an questions went well at first it was a little scary but soon we built up our confidence and  we could clearly get our message across. ( Something we seem to have to do a lot of in TY ). 
    It was a fun experience and we learned lots. And we want to thank our teachers for helping us throughout the project. We learned so much from our topic, more than we thought! 

Music Night!

On Thursday night the school had its annual music night where all music classes in the school have to do a performance and some students do separate performances. As part of Transition Year we had to take part in every subject so we have music class once a week ( even though I think we should have it more than once ).
    I did music in first year like everyone else and I really liked it but I didn't keep it on because I didn't think I  would enjoy studying it and taking music seriously because I like to think that music is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. 
    Which is exactly what it is in TY. We have the time to enjoy music and expand our musical tastes. We have even learned some new instruments and songs.
   So we had been rehearsing our performance for a few weeks before the music night. But because we only had one class a week and we seemed to be constantly missing music class, as music night came nearer we were all thinking that our performance of an Ed Sheeran Medley wasn't going to be good enough to perform in front of people. We really began to doubt our performance.
    But with the help of three of the music teachers, one of which is our tutor and English teacher who we are very grateful to as she gave up countless English classes to help us practice, the songs came up to scratch and we were feeling confident that it sounded really good.
    And on the night it went really well. There was two piano players, two guitars( one of which I did my best to play ) and percussion. We really enjoyed ourselves and we think that all of the hard work paid off!

Thursday 21 March 2013

A Day Out in Kildare!

Yesterday we took the bus to Kildare Town where we learned a lot about the history of Kildare and St.Brigid. First we went to the Heritage Centre in the middle of Kildare Town where we watched a video about the history of Kildare and St.Brigid. After that we walked up to St.Brigid's Cathedral. We walked around and learned a lot about the history and we learned a lot about the Church of Ireland.
     After this we visited the well of St. Brigid, it was very peaceful there. When we arrived we said prayers at the prayer stones. Then we walked to another well, where we walked around it and got the water and blessed ourselves. Thankfully no one fell into the water.
    After this we headed to Whitewater shopping centre where we had a yummy lunch. And then we drove to  Naas where we played bowling. We had loads of fun and we were really tired at the end of our eventful day.
    We had a lot of fun and learned new things. And we were all very hopeful that after walking around the round tower backwards 7 times backwards that we would dream about our future husbands! What an eventful day!

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Thursday 14 March 2013

Mini Company Competition!

4th March was the regional final of the Mini Company competition and Hair Couture were lucky enough to have gotten through to the regional final. We arrived in school in our new Hair Couture t-shirts with our hair done up, I had a cute bow in my hair. It was a hectic morning. Between getting backboards and posters and doing our make up the morning was a bit stressful! 
    When we arrived we couldn't believe it, we had no idea the competition was being held in a four star swanky hotel! It was amazing. Once we got to the presentation room we got set up. Our display looked amazing from pink balloons to giant posters and pink bon bons, everyone was complimenting our gorgeous display. 
   When it came to our turn to present our company we were so nervous. It was so scary to get up on a stage in front of  a room of people we didn't know! But thankfully we got through it and it went really well. We saw all of the other companies and some of them were really good. 
    Half way through the presentations wer got our free lunch. We went into this gorgeous room where we got loads of really nice food! 
   After the presentations the public came in and we sold a good few of our books! Unfortunately only one mini comapany gets through to the national final and we didn't get through. 
   But we had so much fun and learned a lot! It was an overall successful day!

Your Bladder Is Too Close To Your Bladder Like Mine !!

Yesterday, we went to a Retreat Centre in Tallaght. Here we got into groups of people that we were comfortable talking in front of. The idea behind the retreat was to get us to open up and talk about anything that might be on our minds. The retreat was to get us to relax and have a day to ourselves.
    It was a mad day! We had a really nice lady that was talking to our group. It was a pretty emotional day and we were all really tired after it. But it was agood day and we got to know each othe rin a different way after the day.

Your Eyes Are

Thursday 28 February 2013

Lollipop Lollipop !! :)

Last Friday we all went into town to volunteer for Lollipop Day for Oesophageal Cancer. We got the bus into town and once we arrived we got our Lollipops and badges and went to our spots in town.
    We were just opposite the Shelbourne Hotel. It was 2 euro for a Lollipop or badge and any other donations were welcome. It was great to see all of the support that people were giving.
    Soon we had run out of Lollipops and badges due to the generosity of people and we had to get more. We aren't sure exactly how much money we made but I am sure it made a huge contribution to this worthwhile fund. We had such an amazing experience and we had fun as well!!!

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Mini Company !

Ever since we got through to the next round of the Mini Company we have been working really hard to sell loads and complete the booklet. The competition on Monday!!! We are really nervous because we have to talk at a podium in front of a room full of people. We have been organizing our stall getting balloons and posters and t- shirts. It is sooo stressful, but we are really looking forward to the experience and we hope that all of our hard work has paid off!!!



Thursday 21 February 2013

Jabba Jabba Jembe :)

On Tuesday, we had a percussion workshop. At 9:15 we went down to the music room which was filled with drums of all shapes and sizes.
     Dave was in the music room and he soon got us laughing. He told us that the drums we were using are NOT BONGOS! They are called Jembes. We started off learning what different sounds could be made with the drum and hw showed us how to shape our hands.
    Not before long we were drumming away and it sounded really good. It seemed to come naturally to most of our class. Some girls wore funny and unusual hats and we all got a chance to do different rhythms and play the different instruments.
   The time flew and before we knew it, it was 12:15 and time to go back to class. With our hands red, sore and raw we went back to class very happy and feeling connected to native african tribes.

http://www.jabbajabbajembe.com/Vist the Website

Thursday 7 February 2013

Geography Presentation!

Last week Leah and I had to present our Geography powerpoint project of our trip around the world.
We were pretty nervous but we are used to it as TY has taught us many skills and one of them is getting better at standing up and talking in front of a room of people.
    It went really well and people seemed interested. The teacher said that we did a good job and understood the culture of the countries. She said it sounded like we were really there.
   We weren't allowed read from the presentation so we had to try and remember a lot of the information.
    One of the great things about TY is that it has improved my public speaking and presentation giving skills. And these will be of great benefit in the future.

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Mini Company!

On Tuesday we found out that we got through to the Mini Company Regional FINAL! We are so excited and happy to be through. We are so happy that all of our hard work has paid off.
    The final is on the 4th of March in Naas. We have a lot of work to do but it should be loads of fun.

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Thursday 31 January 2013

Mini Company Presentation Day

Last Monday the judges for the mini company competition came to our school. We all had to set up presentation stalls to display our product.
    As our product is "Hair Couture", a book of step by step styles we made pink posters, got pink fairy lights, pink marshmallows and bon bons and we brought in hair straighteners and curlers. The judges went around to each stall where we had to simply explain to them what our product was. When the judges came around to us, our stand was light up and Willow Smith's "Whip my Hair" was blaring from my laptop. They seemed really interested in our idea and very impressed with our product.
    Next each mini company had to get up in front of everyone and talk about their mini company and then answer questions. We were really nervous but when it came to our turn near the end everything went well and no one got stage fright.
    We found out that 4 companies from our school were going to be shortlisted for the Kildare final. We were so excited when we found out that we were one of the companies! We can't wait to find out if we get through.
    On the day we also got an innovative award which we are proud of! Looks like all of our hard work paid off !

Thursday 17 January 2013

SCIENCE!

We went to the BT Young Scientist Exhibition at the RDS last Thursday. One group from our school was entered and they got an award for their display. There were loads of secondary school projects. Some of them were really interesting and some of them made no sense.
   The business displays were really good and gave out lots of free stuff. There were loads of people and schools there including my sisters school. It got very stuffy after a while and after a couple of hours we got quite tired and so we went to a 3D movie about Space.
    The day was really fun and it was a great day out!


Tape Art!

In Art we have started our new project. We are making portraits of celebrities out of the tape inside record tapes. It looks really hard but looks really good when it's done! I am not very good at art but hopefully my finished result will in some way resemble the celebrity I am doing, I am either doing Beyoncé or Taylor Lautner! I can't wait to give it a go!

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Teddy Bear

Now that Junk Kouture is over in TY Design we are making a teddy bear! Over the Christmas break we had to get material and thread and stuffing for our teddy bear. We have started cutting out pieces which we are going to sew together to make our teddy bear.
    I can't wait to get started and see what it will look like when it's done!
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Back in School!

We are back in school after what seemed like the shortest Christamas holidays ever! I don't know how two weeks ends up feeling like a couple of days. The days are colder and the prospect of snow is what is getting people through the school week.
   We have started cooking in home ec as Junk Kouture is over. Last week we made scones and this week we made apple crumble. It was yummy!

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