Week 8

This week started off with my first ever Senior Debating competition. I was speaking alongside Andrew Blennerhassett in the first round of the Leinster's Schools Debating Competition in Trinity on the motion that This House Would Remove All Academic Tests for Children Under the Age of 16. We were speaking in Third Proposition and we were in a really tough room. Two teams and two individual speakers get through from each round and Andrew and I got through with Belvedere. I was really happy because it was the first time I had ever spoken with Andrew and it was my first senior competition.
Wednesday was a massive day as I had the Regional Final of the All Island School Choir Competition in Drogheda. We got a bus up there really early as we had a camera rehearsal at two o'clock. After our rehearsal we had almost 4 hours before our performance so we went over to the massive Tesco across the road and spent half an hour in there! We then spent the rest of the day doing homework....and makeup! I was soooooo nervous because it was going to be on TV and our camera rehearsal didn't go well at all but I had the best time performing on stage. Our performance didn't go that well and the other choirs were all amazing so when the judges went to make their decision I was convinced we weren't getting through and I kept saying it to everyone! I was sure Sandford Park would be the choir that got through to the National Final....but, lo and behold, we got through!!!!!!I was in disbelief and I just jumped up and down, screaming! We got an almighty shock when we were told that we had to go and perform again but it was the best we had performed the song because we were so happy! We are going to be performing in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast on Rememberance Sunday...I can't wait!
That was exhausting as I didn't get home until half eleven and then I had to do my Legal Studies homework but there was no let up on Thursday! I had a Prize Night rehearsal for the last two periods, followed by a Senior Choir rehearsal, followed by play rehearsals, followed by Prize Night so I had a very long day!

Luckily the next day was a school trip to Causey Farm! It exceeded my expectations by a million miles, I had soooooooooo much fun!!! We made bread, went to a pretend wake, we went to a bog and we saw pigs(my favourite animals). The best part was the end when we went into a haunted house type of thing. It was the most terrifying experience of my life! I expected it to be ghosts and skeletons to pop out at you but it was much, much worse than that! It was pitch black and silent and there were real actors that ran towards you and grabbed at you! I screamed my entire way around it! I was shaking for about half and hour after it and my mouth was dry but I really enjoyed it all the same!!

Week 7

Not much happened this week, it was mostly just loads and loads of Choir rehearsals. I have a massive competition in Drogheda next week with Senior Choir and I also have a competition in November with Chamber Choir so I have been rehearsing like mad for the last few weeks!I was really happy as Ms Balfe told me on Tuesday that I have a solo line in the Chamber Choir song so I'm really excited! We made Spaghetti Carbonara in Home Ec which was delicious and really easy! I had to send out lots of letters to different schools on Monday for Debating to invite schools to participate in the Wesley Shield competition, which I am co-convener of!
On Wednesday we went to Psycho Spaghetti in the Milll Theatre in Dundrum. That was the highlight of the week, it was hilarious and so accurate!
On Thursday I went to my first Comhairle na nÓg meeting in Dun Laoighare It was a bit boring because it was just team bonding exercises but I know it'll get better because they explained to us what Comhairle is about and what they do. We are the Junior County Council for the Dun Laoighre-Rathdown area and we will be discussing youth issues and lobbying the senior county council to address these issues. I was one of two delegates for Wesley that went, along with two observers.
On Sunday I had a really long play rehearsal which didn't go well! We ran through the first act and it was pretty awful but I think it was the kick in the behind we needed and I think everyone will work much harder from now!

Week 6

This week started off with the Founder's Day Service in Wesley. I was singing at it with Chamber Choir, both the Junior and Senior services. We sang 'You Raise Me Up'. It was really fun except I had to sit through the same service twice which was a bit boring!
On Tuesday I had to do a Business presentation on a pretend business. Myself, Anna and Hannah Armitage had a mock business called 'BungaBags'. We had to do a PowerPoint presentation on our business in front of our class and Ms Downer. Our business was a website where you could design your own schoolbag and then we would ship them out to you. We had to score each other's presentation which was fun but I don't know how our presentation was received because we got some pretty gruelling questions from Adam at the end!
I got my results back from my first English Assignment, I got 90%! I am delighted because in the composition section of the assignment I got 40/40 which I was really really happy with!
This week was the beginning of my new Environmental Studies Module, Geography with Mr Lydon. We are doing blogs on the Geography of different things. I am doing a blog on the Geography of Singing which I am really enjoying because I am learning lots about the origins of singing and classical singing technique.
This week I had to do a Poetry reading for English, I read a poem called 'Nightmare'.
This weekend I was at Belvedere Junior Debating Competition for 1st to 3rd Years. I had been invited to be an adjudicator which was a real honour as Belvedere is the biggest Junior Debating competition in the country! It was really fun and I was delighted at the end to be put as Chief Adjudicator in one of the rooms.

Week 5

So, lots happened this week! I performed in Vicar St. on Sunday for the 'Urban Mashup' concert. It was so much fun and I felt like a celebrity! I really enjoyed watching the rest of the concert because there were some amazing acts...singers, dancers and musicians.
On Tuesday I had a Senior Choir rehearsal and Ms Doyle told us that we were entering the Choirs for Christmas competition on Lyric FM and we were also performing in St. Patrick's Cathedral and St. Anne's Church. St. Patrick's Cathedral have invited us to sing at one of the Sunday services which means we have to learn all of the choral responses to the creed and the choral version of the Lord's Prayer. I also found out this week that I, as part of the Recording Choir, have got through to the Leinster Regional Final of the All Island School Choir competition. I also found out this week that we were going on a choir trip to Paris in December!!! I am very excited!!!!
I have been taking German classes before school on Fridays because I wanted to take up a second language for my Leaving Cert. I'm finding it really hard but I'm hoping it will get easier in time!!
I had a hockey match on Wednesday which was our first league match against St. Gerard's. I was really disappointed as we lost 2-1!
We also had 'Our Day Out' in town this week. We had to go around town with our class and find places and answer questions. It was very stressful because we kept getting lost but it was so much fun!! I really bonded with my class and had a ball!!
I also got my results back from my Amistad Essay from my slavery module with Mr. Shaw. I got 100%!!!! I couldn't believe it but I am very proud of myself!
I also had a play rehearsal on Sunday which was very tiring! I was in from 11 until 6 with just an hour's break but it was definitely worth it! I was also told that I was 'Onlooker' 1,2,3 AND 4 in The Cart Crash scene so I was happy to be in another scene with some more solo lines!
So a very busy week this week and I'm sure it will just get busier!!

Week 4

I performed in the National Concert Hall with Senior Choir on Monday. It was amazing but we had to stand on a staircase and I nearly fell off! We also have our performance in Vicar St. this Sunday so I have been in choir rehearsals all week! I have also been super-busy with the play! I am super-busy all round at the moment but that's the way I like it!
I got my first English Assignment back on Friday and I was delighted! I got 90% overall so I am really happy with that. We also made eclairs in Home Ec on Friday and we had P.E. where we did dance. So overall, Friday was a pretty great day!
It was Bullying Awareness week so we had lots of different skits and videos in Assembly and in Tutor. I think Bullying Awareness is really important in our school and I think it really does make a difference!
We have moved maths classes this week and I'm now in Mr Hosford's class, he's a really good teacher so I'm happy and I'm in a slower-paced class so I can keep up better than I could before!

Week 3

Well I got into the play! I am playing the role of the Old Woman...I certainly hope it's not typecast!
I was happy to get a named part because my callback went really really badly! I'm really enjoying all the rehearsals and I have a big one on Sunday! My first English assignment is due on Monday, it's the memoir assignment and I'm nearly finished.
But the main news this week.....JUNIOR CERT RESULTS!!! I couldn't quite believe it when I opened the envelope. It took me a good ten minutes to actually open it, it probably would have taken even longer if Mr Woods hadn't come over and told me to open it! I started crying when I saw my maths result because I was so amazed (yes, in front of Mr Woods-it was very embarrassing) and I still think they marked it wrong. I got 7 As and 4 Bs. I am a little disappointed about my History result because I thought I would get an A so Mr Petrie has told me to get it re-checked. I might as well!
Bonding Day was brilliant! We went up Ticknock Mountain! It was very steep and difficult in some parts but the games were really fun and I really bonded with my new class. I was a bit nervous at first with my new class because I didn't know anyone that well but that's definitely changed now! There are some pictures below of the day and also a video of one of the games we played!

Week 2

I got into Senior Choir!
This is the highlight of my week! I really didn't think I would because my audition went really badly but I scraped through and I'm delighted!
The musical was announced this week as well, Les Miserables....I must admit I've never seen it but I'm still going to audition, I've being looking forward to doing the musical since I was in Sixth Class and watched my sister in Grease.
I've started back at most things now, Debating started on Monday and I have already started organising the Wesley Shield. I was elected co-convener of the senior debating competition 2013 last year so I have my work cut out for me! I also started back at hockey, I'm the goalkeeper for the Junior As this year. Hockey is not my favourite thing to do but I think it's important to keep fit so I train on Thursdays and play matches. Dr. Heaney is great, he understands that I have lots of other commitments that I prioritise over hockey.
I have also started back with Chamber Choir. Ms Balfe has started us working already as we have a concert in Vicar St. on the 23rd of September. I have also started Senior Choir rehearsals which are so much fun, and we get tea and biscuits which is always good!
I have also started back at the Amnesty Society on Monday mornings with Ms Cooke, we had a strategy meeting to decide which campaigns we would be focusing on this year.
Mr Shaw also talked to us this week about Gaisce and I handed my form in on Friday. I really want to get my bronze award this year!
Still not much to report academically, we're just getting our assignments now. Mr McMonagle has given us the list of English assignments for this year....there are 12!!! I'm a bit nervous about it but I think if I just stay on top of them it will be grand.

Week 1

So, I started back at school this week, on my birthday! The first day I was so excited! I was really disappointed with my subject choices at first but then I realised that I had read the notice wrong and I had actually got my top two choices for Personal Interest after all!
We started straight into it and I got homework from the Wednesday onwards. It's really weird being in a different class. My class last year was really close and I don't know anyone in my class particularly well.....well I suppose that's the point of TY, you get to know new people! I'm glad I still have some of the same teachers from last year, it's a bit of familiarity. I'm also happy that I have Ms Spicer as my tutor, I was hoping for her or Mr Kirwan.
Not much really happened this week because it was the first week back but Ms Doyle has put up the sign-up sheet for the Senior Choir auditions so I'm really looking forward to auditioning on Monday!