Copyright newsletter
A school that seeks to foster creativity, New-Bridge IC not only hosted the Showcase, but also received two Carson Awards in recognition of their students’ fantastic projects. The Integrated Education Fund (IEF) was delighted to have Belfast's own renowned actor, director, and playwright, Dan Gordon, host this very special celebration event. Dan wrote and performed the acclaimed one-man show ‘A Rebel without a Pause’, which told the story of late comedian and Carson Awards-founder Frank Carson. Host Dan Gordon said: “I am delighted to host the annual Carson Awards Showcase at New-Bridge IC in such a special year for the school. Congratulations to everyone at New-Bridge IC for such a significant milestone, for educating children together in Loughbrickland for thirty years. The Carson Awards Showcase offer a fantastic opportunity for young people to express themselves creatively under the theme of ‘What Integrated Education Means to Me’. As an actor, director and playwright, I have been so impressed by the wide variety of innovative projects on display. The pupils have used many different mediums, everything from video, poetry, music and dance, to express what Integrated Education means to them, demonstrating how they have benefitted from being educated side by side, every day, together in the same classrooms. The Carson Awards Showcase shows the potential and offers a glimpse into a very bright future for the next generation.” The Carson Bursaries offer financial support to schools who applied, so that their pupils could undertake a creative project. All Integrated schools are then offered the opportunity to enter for a Carson Award. The Carson Bursary grant programme and Carson Awards were generously started by late comedian and Integrated Education supporter Frank Carson, along with his son Tony Carson in 2008. The awards are delivered through the IEF. Tony Carson, business entrepreneur and co-founder of the Carson awards, commented: “I am extremely proud to have founded the Carson Awards along with my late father, Frank and that the Awards continue to help support Integrated Education. Every year the impressive entries , amazingly ,seem to surpass the quality of the previous year. They are a testimony to the creativity shining through in the young people involved. Creativity and the arts make an enormous contribution to society and it is crucial that schools nurture the next generation of talented artists across all mediums.. Pops would be very proud! ” The Showcase event gives those who have received a Carson Bursary or won a Carson Award the opportunity to show their creative projects. The annual Carson Showcase travels around Northern Ireland, to different schools each year, so that they are inclusive and accessible to all Integrated schools. This year it was fitting to hold the event in New-Bridge IC, a school which has fostered creativity and participated in the Carson Awards over many years. As well as hosting the Showcase, New-Bridge IC was awarded Joint Second Place in Key Stage Four for an impressive sculpture project called ‘Pray’. Furthermore, the College received a Special Recognition Award for ‘Creative Community Activism’ in memory of Baroness May Blood. This Special Award was awarded for a very unique video project entitled ‘The Joy of Learning Together.’ It is a very special year for New-Bridge IC as they recently moved into their new school building. The new school provides a modern environment with a range of new facilities, including a sports hall, pitches, and dedicated areas for extracurricular activities. Anne Anderson, Principal of New-Bridge IC, commented: “New-Bridge IC is absolutely delighted to host the Carson Awards Showcase in such a special year for the school.Thirty years ago, this school was started by a group of determined parents who wanted their children to be educated together. Today we educate just under 700 students together every day. Integration extends far beyond the classroom, impacting teachers, governors, parents and the wider school community. We are proud of having positively contributed to the wider community for thirty years. The College motto is ‘The school for all the family' and we are proud to celebrate the 'personal best' of every student in New-Bridge IC. Today we celebrate our students’ artistic endeavours and the creativity across all Integrated schools in Northern Ireland. We look forward to nurturing the creative talents of all our students for many years to come.” Paul Caskey OBE, Chief Executive of the IEF, said: “The IEF is delighted to be celebrating the 18th year of the Carson Awards at New-Bridge IC. It is important that young people have the opportunity to express ‘What an Integrated Education Means to Me’ and the Carson Awards provides such a platform to do just that, whilst supporting their creative skills. The quality of the work never ceases to astound. We are so impressed by the quality and innovation of the Integrated pupils’ work on display here today. From creative writing to podcasts, from film to photography, poetry to sculpture - the medley of projects is a testament to the variety of interests and skills being fostered within Integrated schools today.We heartily congratulate all the worthy winners here today. One such winner is New-Bridge IC themselves who won Joint Second Prize for Key Stage Four and a coveted Special Recognition Award. The IEF also wants to thank Tony Carson for his continued support for the Carson Awards Showcase, which is a fitting tribute to the legacy of our late friend and supporter Frank Carson.” For more information on the Carson bursary programme and Carson Awards please see our website here: https://www.ief.org.uk/our-work/grants/carson-awards
