Page 152 - Bellfort Magazine 2024

Attendance—Year 12 pupils were recently celebrated for their outstanding commitment to
attendance, achieving 100% attendance each month. Local businesses showed their support by
providing generous awards in the form of vouchers. Among the sponsors were Dougie’s Goodies,
who provided tasty treats, Lifestyle Fitness and Flamingo Fitness, both encouraging healthy lifestyles
with fitness passes, Sonny’s, a popular eatery, and IMC Cinema, offering entertainment vouchers.
These partnerships reflect the community’s dedication to recognizing student achievement and
encouraging ongoing dedication to education.

Formal—Year 12 celebrated their Spring Ball in style this March at the stunning Galgorm Manor
Hotel and Spa. With over 150 pupils in attendance, it was a night to remember! The students arrived
looking their best, with the girls looking beautiful and the boys looking very handsome. The evening
was filled with delicious food, lively dancing, and an incredible atmosphere as everyone enjoyed the
chance to celebrate their five years together. It was a fantastic event, bringing classmates closer and
marking a memorable milestone in their school journey.

Study leave—In May, Year 12 marked the beginning of their study leave with a small celebration of
sweet treats and drinks before diving into preparations for their GCSEs. The afternoon saw Mr.
Oliver addressing the group, offering thoughtful words of advice and encouragement as the students
headed home to begin their exam preparations. The occasion was bittersweet, bringing both happy
and sad tears from Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Mott, who have guided this year group for the past five years.
It was an emotional moment, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Work Experience - Year 12 pupils recently embarked on an exciting week of work experience, taking
placements in a variety of businesses, organisations, and schools both locally and across the
province. During the week, students had the opportunity to build valuable skills and qualities while
gaining hands-on experience in the workplace. Some of the placements included Ballymena Nursery
School, Scrummies, Scripture Union NI, Randox Laboratories Ltd, Ballymena Pet Vets, Galgorm
Manor, local primary schools, and a range of other businesses near and far. This experience gave
students a real taste of working life and helped prepare them for future career paths.

Poetry in Motion Schools—The 12L1 English class took part in the Poetry in Motion Schools project
through CAP (The Community Arts Partnership), writing a poem relating to the theme of 'where we
belong', under the guidance of local writer and poet, Angeline King. Only 25 schools in Northern
Ireland, both primary and secondary level, were selected to take part.
Five of our Year 12 students were shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Young Writers Award - an
award given to a young person who shows great creative promise. These students were: T'Mia
Jenkins, Erika Carp, Nikola Cychowska, Aaliyah Boyd and Sarah Hall. Congratulations to all the girls
for writing beautiful poems of such a high standard and hopefully it inspires the next generation of
writers in Dunclug.
Thanks to the girls’ excellent poems, the school won the Seamus Heaney Schools Award. This award
was presented to the school who produced the greatest number of poems at such a high standard.