We held our annual Prize Day on 8th September. This date was selected for our senior Prize Giving as the school was opened on this date in 1957. We are celebrating 66 years of education in St. Mary's High School. Our school is an outstanding school steeped in a unique history and tradition with the Sisters of Mercy who established St Mary’s.
This is a very important event in our school year, one in which we are very proud to join the young ladies of St. Mary's who have worked so hard, and received outstanding results.
We were also very honoured to welcome Mr Joseph Gilson as our guest speaker.
Steeped in an educational background, Mr Gilson became the Director of Misson for the Lasallian District of Ireland, Great Britain and Malta. He has stated that his objective is, 'To use my skills, experience, education and talents to accompany others towards wholeness primarily through the provision of quality formation experiences for educators through the lens of Charism-baded Catholic Education.'
On Prize Day, we were very priviledged to listen to Mr Gilson, as he imparted some of this wisdom to our student body.
Our students, and their families, are no doubt very proud of their achievements.
In Ms Mc Laughlin's address she conveyed how we got to this point and said, " It has been a journey and the culmination of hard work especially over the last few years. Determination to succeed and not give up. ‘A Can Do’ attitude. Resilience in the face of adversity. A mindset to succeed. All these words are common parlance in the vocabulary used by St Mary’s girls and their teachers. "
In St. Mary's Ms Mc Laughlin also stated,
" We have worked very hard to provide an academic and vocational curriculum that meets the needs of all our students and the wider community. All pathways at GCSE and A Level lead to success. Our pastoral team offer huge support to the girls to support their emotional health and well-being. As 21st century learners our students study coding, entrepreneurial skills and there is a strong focus on the STEM subjects – all are areas of growth in the Northern Ireland economy. We also make a huge contribution to the health service in the local area. We want to ensure that our students develop the skills they will need in the workplace; recognising the contribution that such skills can make to the local economy.
As a Mercy school the values of showing compassion for the less fortunate is lived out daily in the huge range of fund-raising activities undertaken throughout the course of the school year."
" Today is a celebration of your achievements. The results at GCSE and A Level are once again outstanding. Across Northern Ireland it was reported that the number of A* grades was down – not in St Mary’s! A* grades were achieved by our students at GCSE and A Level. Girls, you can be very proud of your results as they are equal to or in many cases better than your peers in other post- primary schools."
Ms Mc Laughlin went on to say;
" We congratulate you, your families and teachers for their hard work and perseverance in ensuring you achieved success. We know that after 7 years in St Mary’s you leave with fond memories and a strong loyalty to our school. You will be excited about the new challenges that lie ahead."
Finally, to share with a quotation from Eleanor Roosevelt:
“As life developed, I faced each problem as it came along. As my activities and work broadened and reached out, I never tried to shirk. I tried never to evade an issue. When I found I had something to do – I just did it.”
We wish all our students the very best as you navigate through the next few years of your lives, whatever pathway you have chosen and for your future ahead.
