Children’s author and rugby analyst Brent Pope joined Minister of State Aodhán Ó Ríordain to launch a very special essay competition this week.
Joined by pupils from primary schools across Dublin, Pope and Minister Ó Ríordain unveiled the ‘Someone Like Me’ competition to promote positive attitudes towards disability in Irish schools.
A national competition that is open to all schools, students are being asked to send submissions that celebrate the differences that make them and their classmates unique.
Alongside acclaimed Galway children’s author Deirdre O’Sullivan, Brent Pope will be judging the competition, and he believes it is a powerful step forward.
“I am no stranger to feeling different and really believe it is so important that we celebrate our uniqueness, what sets us apart. Writing and expressing ourselves is a terrific way to do this, and I am really looking forward to judging the entries from around the country,” Pope said at the launch.
Essays can be submitted in writing up to 200 words in length; or as an audio or video recording of up to five minutes. Each school will be limited to one entry, and the method of selecting this entry will be left up to each school. The overall winner will be announced at an event to be held in December 2015.
Each winning student, at both county and national level, will receive vouchers for arts materials in the form of books, audio or video. The overall national winner’s school will also receive computer, audio and video equipment.
For more information, visit www.primaryschoolscompetition.com. The closing date for the competition is Friday, 23 October 2015.
