TY Modules

All Year Projects

The students will choose to participate in one of the following all year projects.

Drama

Chinese

The Chinese culture and language course have been designed to facilitate the learning of a myriad of aspects of both ancient and modern Chinese culture. The year-long course also provides students with an opportunity to acquire and practise the basics of the Chinese language (mandarin).

Student Enterprise Awards

Enterprise aims to foster an enterprise culture among our students. It offers students the opportunity to take a business from the idea stage, through market research to production, sales, record keeping and management. Students gain much experience in the business world and will develop many skills from communication to creativity. Visit www.studententerprise.ie for further information.

Junk Kouture

Junk Kouture in association with the European Recycling Platform (EYP) is a national competition for second level students in Ireland and Northern Ireland which challenges teenagers to create high-end wearable fashion from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. For more information see www.junkkouture.com

Scifest

Students choosing this module will experience talks and presentations given by outside academics and experts from industry. They will be offered the opportunity to develop their interests by practical experimentation. They will also deliver their own science show and presentations in preparation for the actual Scifest event. The fundamental skills of science investigation are a key focus in this module and help prepare students for Senior Cycle science subjects and beyond. For more information see www.scifest.ie

Young Social Innovators

YSI believes that young people are a powerful and largely untapped force for change in their local communities and in wider society. Promoting and leading the way in education for social innovation in Ireland, Young Social Innovators encourages, motivates and creates new opportunities for young people to actively participate in the world around them. It seeks to engage young people wherever they are – in schools, communities, youth organizations, in families, in or out of work – and prepare them to fully take part in civic action whether through volunteerism, community service, service-leaning, citizenship education, social entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information see www.youngsocialinnovators.ie

The GAA Future Leaders

This Transition Year Programme is a cross curricular programme comprising of a series of modules designed to encourage maturity, initiative, responsibility and leadership skills in students. It gives students the knowledge and skills to support all roles required in the effective staging of Gaelic games. Each module is stand alone and is individually certifiable. As part of the programme, students are challenged to organize and run but on-field and off-field events for younger students. The following modules are available to students:

• Future Leaders Refereeing module
• Future Leaders Sports Journalism module
• Future leaders Performance Analysis
• Future Leaders Nutrition module
• Future Leaders Wellbeing module
• Future Leaders FMS and Coaching of Camogie/Football
• Future Leaders Event Management and Sports Administration module

Further details online at https://learning.gaa.ie/futureleaders

Other TY Modules

First Aid and Defibrillator Training

This module is an introduction in the use of CPR/ AED – basic life support. Students will also receive skills to treat minor injuries through Occupational First Aid (OFA) course.

Gaisce

The Gaisce award is earned by young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 by participating in several activities for a certain period. There are three awards characterised into bronze, silver and gold depending on the age group of the participants and the length of time it takes to acquire this award. The term ‘gaisce’ itself is from the Irish language and can be translated as ‘achievement’ or ‘feat’ and is held in very high esteem.

Every participant, regardless of the category of award, has the support of a ‘PAL’ (President’s Award Leader). It is important to note that this is not a competition, the only person you compete with is yourself with the whole aim of Gaisce to create independence in young adults. The PAL is a member of the teaching staff who acts in a supervisory role and how guide you through the challenges and sets appropriate activities. It is important to note that you, alone are the one who achieves this award.

There are four challenges in each award, which all must be conducted outside of school time for one hour a week consecutively. The first achievement pertains to Community Involvement. This can be in the form of Charity work, helping with a youth club, Green Schools, Tidy Towns, Helping children with learning difficulties or Special Choir amongst others. The next part refers to the Personal skills. This could be learning a new musical instrument, a form of Dance, part taking in Singing lessons, introduction to web design or learning a foreign language. Again, this must be something done outside of school time and no sports are allowed in this category.

On line diary entries are completed following each hour that you partake in. It is important to note that participants must be at least 15 years of age to enter and a minimum of 1 hour per week per category is required. The time breakdown is as follows:

• Community involvement – 13 weeks
• Personal Skill – 13 weeks
• Physical Recreation – 13 weeks
• Additional activity in any section of your choice from the three above – 13 weeks
• Adventure Journey/Research – 2 days, 1-night stay.

For more detail please visit www.gaisce.org where you can read student testimonials, ideas for each skill etc. We encourage everyone to get involved and you will reap the benefits of this fantastic opportunity in Transition Year.

Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

Every TY student will undertake the MOS certification course and exam. With the increase in the importance of technology today, digital literacy has become a valuable aid to lifelong learning and prosperity. Mount Sackville has invested in upgrading all its computer hardware to facilitate this incredible opportunity.

Digital Design

The students get the opportunity to learn the best practice of design while working each week on a separate project such a poster, recipe card, infographics, collage. They also collaborate as an editorial team on the Ty newsletter. After the modules the students will know how to use the online digital design tools for any future educational, career or personal projects.

Musical

During Transition year students can audition to take part in the school musical. The school musical takes place every November. It is staged in the assembly hall with a team of event management from Transition Year who promote the musical, sell tickets, work backstage, assist with lighting and sound effects and work front of house on the evenings of the performances. It is a collaborative experience for performers and crew and it is always a highlight of Transition Year.

Schools Shakespeare Festival

The Schools Shakespeare festival aims to bring Shakespeare to live audiences and to allow students to engage and perform Shakespearean drama in a meaningful manner. This is a competition which was launched in January 2019 for all second level students and it is run by the Mill Theatre in Dundrum. Students perform a thirty minute version of any Shakespeare play. Mount Sackville have entered this competition with a cast of transition year students in 2019 with ‘Jules on the Loose’ and in 2020 with ‘Queen Lear’. We are very proud to have been crowned ‘overall winners of best production’ two years in a row!