It’s always a joy to visit the South Side Youth Project house in Rowan Heights, the positivity, energy and enthusiasm of the young people is heart-warming and the dedication of staff and volunteers is admirable.
Yesterday evening the main room in the house was full to the rafters with excited youngsters and their proud Mammies and Daddies who had all assembled for the Boyne Youth Diversion Project Awards Night.
Members of the Drogheda Community Policing Unit had a strong attendance along with the community inspector Declan Monaghan from Drogheda Garda Station who was one of the guest speakers on the night.
Also speaking favourably about the work of the project was Deaglun O’Briain, Principal Officer from the Department of Justice. Boyne YDP Family Support Worker Joanne Sherry and Early intervention worker Robbie Woods were also in attendance.
The main business of the night was to present the annual awards which in celebration the young people’s participation in programmes in the Boyne Youth Diversion Project throughout the year.
Boyne Youth Diversion Project is part of the Youth Work Ireland Louth organisation which, according to their web site, responds to the personal, social, developmental, cultural, and spiritual needs of young people highlighting and addressing those issues which most affect them.
It was great to see so many young people and families at the awards but it also illustrated the dire need for a larger, better equipped, clubhouse, perhaps part of a community centre.
In this regards it was good to see Gráinne Berrill, the Coordinator of the Drogheda Implementation Board in attendance. Hopfully she was taking notes to bring back to other members of the Board which is doing such fantastic work for Drogheda as indicated by the Vivian Geiran Report.
Garda Noel Loughran presents Sarah Hanratty with her certificate.
Councillors Joanna Byrne and Paddy McQuillan, both keen supporters of the work of Boyne Youth Diversion project, were also in attendance. Hopefully they will keep the pressure on the powers that be that the young people of Drogheda deserve a better deal in terms of facilities.
But the evening was all about the young people and their achievements and there were quite a lot of them. Here is a list of the award winners, Congratulations to all of them:
- Best attendance in the project: Alan Lynch
- Most improved young person of year: Leah Cudden, Nadine Maguire, Shane Mulhern, Kyle Mulready, Daniel Mc Gregor
- Happy attitude /Funniest person: Aimee Healy
- Most Positive person: Megan O Brien
- Always can depend on person: Sarah Hanratty
- Most dedicated person: Sean Mulhern
- Most Excellent Behaviour: Alan Lynch
- Senior Sports person of the year: Kyle Rodgers
- Junior Sports person of year: James Donnelly
- Most Resilient young person: Tamika Maguire
- Young person of the year: Eireann Mc Enteggart, Dillion O Driscoll
- Most external supportive person to project: Community Guard Eric Scurry
Group Awards
- Tag group 1 Senior: Ryan, Jamie Lee Garvey, Brandon
- Tag group 2: Leah Cudden, Lewis Duffy, Jamie Farrell, Kyle Mulready,Eireann Mc Enteggart, Jimmy Maguire, Kaylem Judge, Kyle Rae Rodgers
- Tag group 3 Junior: Alan Lynch, James Donnely, Shane Mulhern, Sean Mulhern
- Retracking Programme: Alan Lynch, James Donnelly, Shane Mulhern, Lewis Duffy
- A Life of Choices: Leah, Lewis, Jamie F, Hayden, Kyle, Eireann, Jimmy, Kaylem, Kyle Rae Rodgers, Alan, James, Shane,
- Health and Beauty : Nadine, Tamika, Megan, Sarah, Aimee
- Fighting words: Nadine, Tamika, Megan, Sarah, Aimee
- Sexual Health: Nadine, Tamika, Megan, Sarah, Aimee
- Personal Development: Micheala, Eireann, Jayden, Thomas Thornton, Tommy, Ross, Jack
- Gaisce participation: Nadine, Tamika, Megan, Sarah, Aimee, Eireann, Michela, Dylan O Driscoll
- Driving Safety Programme: Jimmy, Leah, Kaylem, Brandon, Lewis, Jamie-Lee, James, Alan
- Residential Particpation: Nadine, Tamika, Megan, Sarah, Aimee, Shane, Sean, Alan, Jimmy, Leah, Micheala, Eireann, Tommy, Lewis
- STEAM/First Lego league: James, Alan, Shane, Sean, Ross, Jack
- Anger Management: Hayden, Shane, Sean, Alan, Daniel, James, Micheala, Eireann
- Safe Pass: Kaylem, Ryan, Dylan O D, Brandon
- Willingness to engaging in other opportunities: Leah, Tommy, Jamie Lee, Sarah, Tamika, Megan, Aimee
