Paralympics Ireland Engages School Children

Paralympics Ireland launched an education resource for primary school students prior to the London 2012 Games. 21 Apr 2012

Two Irish Boccia players are celebrating their victory

Gabriel Shelley of Ireland celebrates with Padraic Moran after winning the bronze medal match in the BC1 Boccia match during the day three of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games

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“This is a great new resource for Paralympics Ireland and we hope that it will inspire young people throughout Ireland to learn more about Paralympic Sport and support the Irish Team."

Paralympics Ireland officially launched the Follow Your Star programme, an initiative aimed at fostering and developing an understanding among young people of Paralympic sport. The launch took place at St Pius BNS, Terenure and was attended by Paralympic athletes Nadine Lattimore, Padraic Moran, Anne-Marie McDaid and Ellen Keane.

The Follow Your Star programme, which is aimed at primary school students and their teachers, provides a free online resource that allows users to learn more about the Paralympic movement and Paralympic sport in Ireland.

The aim of this initiative is to help establish positive perceptions among young people of individuals with disabilities and to encourage support for the Irish Team at the upcoming London 2012 Paralympic Games and beyond.

The online resource, followyourstar.ie, offers multi-media lessons, lesson plans, and activities which aims, through the medium of Paralympic Sport, to inspire children to strive to achieve, to realise the limitless possibilities of their imagination, as well as encouraging them to embody the Paralympic values of determination, courage, equality and inspiration throughout their lives.

Three thousand four hundred primary schools will receive promotional literature on the campaign. Schools participating in the programme will be in with the chance of receiving visits from some of Ireland’s top Paralympic athletes after the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Naomi O’Reilly, Programmes Manager for Paralympics Ireland, commented, “This is a great new resource for Paralympics Ireland and we hope that it will inspire young people throughout Ireland to learn more about Paralympic Sport and support the Irish Team at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and onwards to Rio 2016 and beyond.“