Ruth is Ardee's Community School's best as students are honoured

Ardee Community School celebrated the very best of their students acheivements in and out of the classroom on Thursday last, at the annual awards day.

Sixth year pupil Ruth McAnespie (pictured, far right) won the Tom Dalton Student of the Year gong for new efforts in the 2017/18 academic year. 

Meanwhile, her sister Fiona claimed the Best Overall Result in the Junior Certificate examinations. Donal McKenny was named Fifth Year Student of the Year while Abi McAlester, Shane Roche and Lauren Commins were commended with Full Attendance Awards having not missed a single day during the span of their time at Ardee Community School.

At the end of a stunning year for sports, in which the senior GAA team won the All-Ireland C Championship, captain Conor Gillespie was named Senior Male Sports Person of the Year. Tara McGuinness, a fifth year student, won the female award for representing the school with distinction in multiple sports such as girls rugby and athletics. 

The event was MC’d by Head Boy Cormac Rafferty and Head Girl Katie Commins, while Niamh Crawley (Chairperson of the Student Council) and Principal Mary Jackson addressed the audience in the school’s Dalton Room. 

She paid tribute to all of those who excelled both in academic pursuits and in extra-curricular activity - whilst also praising the teaching staff who work tirelessly to support the student in all of their various endeavours.  In the Junior Cycle awards, the school's young pupils were honoured for their efforts over the past nine months. 

Joe O’Brien won the First Year  Student of the Year, while Aine Balfe won the second year prize. Ahead of sitting her Junior Certificate exams nextmonth, Fiona McAnespie, younger sister of Ruth, won Third Year Student of the Year.
 Ciara Skelly and Luke Matthews won the Junior Sports Personality prizes.

Democrat journalist and former student Barry Landy spoke to the students about his experiences in school, third level education and work since he graduated in 2006. 

Ruth McAnespie received the Tom Dalton Student of the Year Award from teacher Ms Duffy. 

Tara McGuinness and Conor Gillespie received the Senior Female and Male Sports Persons of the Year awards respectively. 

Fiona McAnespie received the Best Overall Junior Certificate Award from Ardee CS principal Mary Jackson.