Pres student wins national anti-racism award

A BEAUTIFUL video about valuing your own culture and the cultures of others won Maria Antonio, a student at Presentation College, Carlow, a €500 prize from the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

Her winning video was an entry into the ICI’s ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ creative competition which uses art and creative messages to promote anti-racism and celebrate diversity on social media. Students could design films and posters, which must have been embedded in a social media campaign that spreads the messages of the beauty of diversity and of anti-racism.

Ms Antonio and her second-year CSPE student colleagues were facilitated to enter the competition by teachers Una Byrne and Edwina Gibbons.

Presentation College recognised Maria’s win in the junior online category and her colleagues’ work in a presentation in the school library on 19 November. The ceremony was attended by school principal Ray Murray, second-year head Declan O’Connor, teachers Una Byrne and Edwina Gibbons, and Marton Bisztrai, the Show Racism the Red Card coordinator from the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

The school expressed immense pride in the enthusiastic work put in by the students to ensure that everyone is aware of how welcome they are to the school community, describing the institution as one where students of all races and cultures are supported and made to feel welcome.

CSPE coordinator Ms Byrne said she was very impressed with the students’ creativity and enthusiasm.

Following the presentation to Maria, a number of students received school awards for the lovely posters that they had made.

The 1AT winners were Sophia Holmes, Abigail Lawlor, Adam Keegan, John Moscalu, Freya Nolan and Szymon Szymanski. The 1AQ winners were Tara Bruton, Emily Huang, Jessica Lovitoni, Catelynn Reilly, Sara Rothwell and Eimilija Rudokas. The 2AS winners were Rían Byrne, Evelyn Chiorean, Ivan Gramatikov, Grace Hayden, Estella Kirveleviciute and Weronika Rzepa.