Future leaders show mettle in Rotary Club competition

Maeve Staunton of St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, represented Mullingar at the Zone Final of the Rotary Club Youth Leadership Development Competition, hosted by Naas Rotary Club, on Tuesday last, 10 November. Maeve did a fine job as one of the five finalists, and the winner was Molly Gallagher from Athlone Community College.

Mullingar Rotary Club held the local finals of the competition for 16- and 17-year-old fifth year students, and participants were from Coláiste Mhuire, St Finian’s College, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Rochfortbridge, and Loreto College, Mullingar.

A panel of judges interviewed the students about the qualities of a good leader, their own leadership experience, planning and organisation, and current issues affecting young people.

Four students reached the final round of interviews: Maeve Staunton; Luke Tully, Coláiste Mhuire; Laura Kerrigan, Loreto College, Mullingar; and Anna Smith, St Finian’s College.

Following the final interviews, Maeve was chosen as Mullingar representative. The club congratulates Maeve, the other school finalists and all participating students.

Donal Lawlor, Mullingar Rotary Club Youth Services officer, said: “The enthusiasm of all the participants and the standard of presentations was very high and great credit is due to all entrants for putting in the time and effort to enter this competition.

“The judges were especially impressed by the leadership experience of each of the participants in their schools, and also in other fields. They give us great hope for the future.

“We hope everyone enjoyed the experience and benefited from taking part. We’d like to thank teachers and parents for all the help and encouragement they give to students.”

Mullingar Rotary Club also extend thanks to Marie O’Toole and Pat Beirne, who joined Rotary members Pat Webb, John Geoghegan and Dónal Lawlor on the interview panels.

Zone winners travel to the European Parliament in Strasbourg to take part in Euroscola, ‘becoming an MEP’ for a day. The programme brings together students from across Europe for a hands-on experience of parliamentary democracy.

Students receive debate topics before the trip so they can research and prepare. At the Parliament, they join young people from other European countries to debate these topics.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner at the local final in the Greville Arms Hotel, the students outlined what they spoke about to the judges and the backgrounds that took them through the schools rounds of the competition.

First they prepare portfolios “about what being a good leader and volunteering really means to” them said Maeve, “and in the interview we talk a little bit more in depth about that, why we care about the specific topics”.

Maeve is involved in Westmeath Comhairle na nÓg: “Previously, I was the Westmeath representative nationally. We work on issues that are affecting young people and how to solve them – road safety, vaping, that sort of thing. I’m involved in SpunOut as well.”

Laura is a senior prefect at Loreto College, “meeting first years, being someone that they can go to” [for help or guidance, if needed]. I’m also a junior captain in Mullingar Golf Club, and that involves keeping the girls interested, being a spokesperson for the girls, volunteering on Tuesdays during the summer with the Birdies (a kids group).”

She was part of the Loreto team who earned the Active Skills flag for the school, and she helped coach an U5s camp in Ballynacargy GAA over the summer.

Luke Tully captained his rugby team at the Mullingar club for three consecutive years, at U14, U15 and U16, and was vice-captain of the midlands regional rugby team. “During TY, I took on a project for Stripe Young Scientists, on portfolio management.”

Asking what being a rugby team captain means, Luke said: There’s a lot of motivational speaking involved, there’s organising, team bonding, organising training sessions, managing players, if they ever have a problem and don’t want to go to the coaches, and they want to communicate it through me.”

Anna is a member of Foróige, where, she says, “you learn how to be a good leader and communicate in groups and that work like that”. She is part of the Foróige ECollective, who focus on promoting climate justice in Ireland. “We meet up online and discuss climate change and environmental issue, what we’re going to do, different projects – that sort of thing.”