Kildare students receive award for additional needs project

Two teams from Kildare, who have taken part in the Young Social Innovator (YSI) programme in their secondary schools, were among 42 teams from across Ireland shortlisted for the 2025 Awards.

One of the Kildare teams received an award at a special ceremony on May 13 in the Aviva Stadium, which was attended by special guest, Minister Jerry Buttimer, and emceed by John Sharpson, presenter of RTÉ’s Home School Hub.

The awarded Kildare team was from Scoil Dara, Kilcock, who won the Fun Raising Award for their ‘Catch a Cubbie’ project, which saw them acquire a ‘Cubbie’, which provides a calming environment for students with additional needs to remove themselves from the classroom situation and regulate their emotions and physical responses.

The shortlisted Kildare team was from St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin for their ‘BEE the Change’ project which focuses on bee conservation and biodiversity, and saw the team host fundraising events for materials to construct bee houses, as well as creating bee houses for their community.

Commenting on the high standard of projects shortlisted for the 2025 YSI Awards, CEO of YSI, Roger Warnock, said: “The cutting-edge social issues being addressed in the projects shortlisted for the 2025 YSI Awards, including from Kildare, and the young people’s commitment to finding solutions demonstrates how important social innovation education is for empowering our young people. I’d like to congratulate all the young people who have taken part on the remarkable passion, dedication, resourcefulness and creativity they have brought to their participation in our YSI programme in their school.”

For more information about Young Social Innovators, see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie.

READ NEXT: Man accused of theft at Kildare Dunnes Stores supermarket was 'living in a tent'