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Transition Year students from Mean Scoil Nua an Leith Triuigh (MSLT) in Castlegregory have made it to the semi-finals of the Young Environmentalists Awards 2024 taking place next month. Pictured were: Ciara Butler, Charlie Gillan, Emma Garvey, Daniel O’Mahony, Stephanie Reid, Reuben Wall and Katie Crean. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography
By Michelle Breen Crean
FIXING fast fashion is firmly on the minds of young West Kerry students who have made it to the semi-final of the Young Environmentalists Awards next month.
Eight Transition Year students from Mean Scoil Nua an Leith Triuigh (MSLT) in Castlegregory want to create awareness about this huge global issue.
During their research they became concerned about the impact that cheap low quality clothing items – which go out of fashion within weeks due to fast changing trends – is having on the environment when worn just once and then binned.
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Their idea is to take action by making the local community aware of the problem and encourage people to re-wear their clothing many times over as well as educate them on ways to take better care of them.
“We are a Young Environmentalists Award 2024 group called ‘Fixing Fashion’ who are aiming to make our local community aware of the fast fashion problem,” Katie Crean, who is a member of the group, said.
Transition Year students and staff from Mean Scoil Nua an Leith Triuigh (MSLT) in Castlegregory pictured with their Principal Karen Blennerhassett, and Peadar O Fionnain and Diarmuid Griffin from the Green Party who recently visited the school to speak to students about environmental issues. The students are taking part in the Young Environmentalists Awards 2024. Photo: Michelle Breen Crean Photography
The group of students involved in the project includes Katie, as well as Emma Garvey, Ciara Ferriter, Ciara Butler, Reuben Wall, Daniel O’Mahony, Stephanie Reid and Charlie Gillan.
“We have been dedicating our time to the project over the last few months,” Katie added.
But how were they inspired?
“Last year the ‘Habitat Heroes’ and ‘Eco Empire’ groups from our school were very successful in the Young Environmentalists Awards.
“This year our group of eight had a common interest in fast fashion so we decided to do some research on it. We were shocked by how much waste there was worldwide and decided that we wanted to make people aware of this, both in our local and school communities.
“We were inspired and guided by our principal Karen Blennerhassett and our Agricultural Science teacher Ilona O’Dowd.”
From there the students stepped up their campaign by bringing it to an online audience to create a campaign about their project.
“We are posting very frequently on our Instagram and TikTok platforms, where we are raising awareness with informative but catchy posts about this world problem.
“In our school community we are getting the message across by putting posters up around the school halls, sending emails to parents, staff and students, while also setting up monthly ‘Swap Shops’.
“Swap Shops were new to the school and have turned out to be a great success. We have collected unwanted clothes from students, staff and the public which we are selling for €2 each. This money will then be donated to St Vincent de Paul (SVP) at the end of our school year. Any clothes left over will be donated to local charity shops also. Along with these ‘Swap Shops’, we have showcased presentations for other classes and organised two guest speakers for our own Transition Year class which included Peadar O Fionnain and Diarmuid Griffin from the Green Party.”
Recently they came in to hear all about the multiple projects in the class including – ‘Solar Soldiers’, ‘Eco Empire Expanded’ and ‘Cop Castlegregory’.
You can check them out on TikTok: @fixing.fashion or Instagram @fixingfashionty for more information.
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