Since September a number of classes have been exploring the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health and Wellbeing. In their Global Citizenship Module TY came up with some action projects on areas of Wellbeing that interested them. In Geography 3 Carson explored the impact of Climate Justice on people’s wellbeing. In Personal Development 2 Hackett organised a whole week of activities to improve their mental health and 2 McAleese are currently working on a no homework week to see if there is a link between homework and sleep. The point of these activities is to encourage the students to be active citizens. To understand that their actions on global issues help by raising awareness and starting discussions on possible changes to their own behaviours. We have also been learning about team work, resilience and problem solving – all skills that students going out into the world of work will undoubtedly need. On Friday December 6th we hosted the inaugural Woodbrook Wellfest which was a festival celebrating all of the hard work that had gone in to these projects. We had prizes for the Most Innovative Idea, the Best Display on the day and the Best Overall Project. Our judges on the day were Alan Morgan and Jacinta Owens from the Innovation Academy of University College Dublin. Dr Deirdre Mac Gillacuddy from the UCD School of Education and Lizzie Noone from Worldwise Global Schools. They were so impressed not only by the projects but by the depth of the students’ knowledge on the issues they were learning about.


Our winner’s on the day were:
Best Display: The Climate Justice Board Game
Most Innovative Idea: TY German Barefoot Sensory Walk
Best Overall Project: The girls’ Sports morning.

On Monday we then had a visit from Minister for Health Simon Harris TD who spoke to the students about their projects and about the innovations that he is working on to promote good health and wellbeing on a national level. Overall the students have learned a huge amount about the great challenges we all face but more importantly they are learning to take action to be the change they want to see in the world.