Transition Year
Queries / Comments / Questions - Please Email : transitionyear@smgsblarney.ie
Follow the year on Instagram ty_smgs
Transition Year is offered on an optional basis to students who have completed the Junior Certificate. TY has proved itself to be invaluable to students in identifying and developing their personal strengths and skills. It lays a very solid foundation for Leaving Certificate while encouraging personal growth and maturity. TY students receive a unique opportunity to try a large number of taster subjects and modules. These modules encompass many different new skills and provide unique experiences which are aimed at producing an enriching year for our students.
some highlights:
Drama
Drama is another fun competition module available to those who enjoy performing. A number of different productions are prepared and entered into the National Annual TY Dramafest and the Cork Dramafest. Drama students celebrated huge success with one of their productions this year. They were named Overall Winners of 2017 Cork Youth Drama Fest. Emma Bickerdike also won Best Actress and Simon Forrest won Best Actor for their excellent performances. The cast of the play - Callum Higgins, Simon Forrest, Ciara Downey, Ciarán Dennehy, Áine McHugh and Emma Bickerdike also won 2nd overall in the All Ireland Drama Fest with their production of 'The Voice'. Emma Bikerdike also scooped the prize for best supporting actor. Two members of the TY Drama Group, Éabha O'Donovan and Emma Bikerdike won the Deerpark Dramafest Talent Show also with their performance of the song 'Toxic'.
Mini Company
Mini Company, students choose to form a group of up to five people. Each group brainstorms an idea that would be helpful to people. Once deciding upon an idea, product development begins. There were a large number of different companies each year. Each year Mini Company students attend the South Cork Mini Company competition run by the Local Enterprise Office. In 2016/17 Aoife O'Leary and Hannah Chen won most innovative product with their company Baggy Jumpers, a product which doubles up as a bag and a jumper.
Junk Kouture
Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture is a national contest which encourages young designers in second level education to create striking couture designs and impressive works of wearable art from everyday junk that would normally find its way into the bin. Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture aims to inspire and ignite passion in these teenagers while at the same time subtly educating them about the importance of recycling and reusing waste. Over the last six years, Bank of Ireland Junk Kouture has established itself as the premier recycled fashion competition for teenagers throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland.
robotics
Robotics is one of 5 competition modules available to transition year students. Robotics involves the building of a robot from a kit that is bought by the school. The students assemble the robot where they must then program it to perform simple tasks. Each year the VEX 'game' requires the robots to complete a number of different tasks on the clock. The VEX Robotics competition runs its finals each year in CIT where SMGS competed last year for the first time, winning best display and qualifying for the final rounds.
Others include:
Young Scientist, Young Social Innovators, Media Studies, Horticulture, Home Economics, Debating, public speaking, Music, Art, Engineering, Construction Studies, Community Links, Technical Graphics, Computer Animation, healthy eating, LCVP
Transition Year 2024 / 2025
Important Dates
Work experience 11th - 22nd November 2024 (2 weeks)
Work experience 24th - 28th March 2025 (1 week)
Volunteer Week 16th- 20th December 2024
ALL ORGANISED BY THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES FOR SEPTEMBER
Parent/Student induction evening Thur 29th August 2024
Colaiste Uisce Trip - TBC
TYO Classes commence Monday 2nd September 2024
Payment Plan 2024/25:
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Applications available from Tue 20th Feb via TY 2024/2025 TY Google Classroom
Application forms to be returned by Friday 23rd Via google classroom
Places offered Friday 1st March 2024.
Acceptance of places by Friday 8th March 2024 along with €200 deposit
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€600 Full Year Fee which inc €100 for Registration.
· Friday 8th March 2024 - €200 First Payment
· Friday 19th April 2024 - €200 Second Payment
· Friday 7th June 2024 – €200 Final Payment.
Places are secured when final payment is received.
There is a waiting list and places will be allocated to the next on the list.