‘Someone Like Me’ – New national primary schools essay competition

With over 53,000 children under 15 years of age with disabilities in Ireland, primary schools around the country are being asked to encourage as many children as possible to get involved in the Department of Justice and Equality’s competition and celebrate the differences which make both themselves and their schoolmates unique.

Brent Pope, rugby pundit author of many children’s books including Woody the Whale, The Wheezing Wolf, Bones, Arnold The Anteater and The Adventures of Herbie will be one of the judges of the competition. He will join Galway children’s author Deirdre Sullivan and a range of other judges to choose the national winner.

Essays can be submitted in writing up to 200 words in length; or as an audio or video recording of up to 5 minutes.  Each school will be limited to one entry – 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. Schools are urged to get as many students as possible involved in this fantastic competition, which encourages children of all ages to celebrate the differences which make them unique.  To download information, additional lesson plans and posters, schools can log on to www.primaryschoolscompetition.com

Entries can be emailed to schoolscompetition@insightconsultants.ie or uploaded to www.primaryschoolscompetition.com by clicking the ‘Submit Entry’ tab. Closing Date for receipt of entries is Friday, 23^rd October 2015