To kick start this programme all 1st year students received a forty five minute walking training session which focused on different types of walking, how to wear your school bag when walking, how to use a step counter and walking with school bags to the nearest park and stride points.
Each day, eight girls from each class were also given a step counter where they received 1 point per 1000 steps in an attempt for girls to record the minimum requirements from the Irish Heart Foundation
of 10,000 steps. Points were also awarded for walking/cycling to school.
The results of the week were extremely encouraging, not only the increase in the girls awareness of parking and striding, but comments such as ‘It’s much safer outside the school’ (Laura Harty) proving that the pilot exclusion zone around the school encourages students to use more active forms of transport.
Emilie Pickering, Head of Year said ‘Pupils took to the challenge and improved as the week went on despite the weather. There was great camaraderie between the 5th year Cairdre girls and the first years and we will definitely look to run the programme again’. Scores were recorded each morning with each first year class having four 5th year students to assist them. 5th year student Lauren Mulvihill said ‘Everyone seemed to enjoy it and it encouraged the first years to walk more’ with McKensie Daly saying ‘More girls made an effort to walk so they could gain more points’.
Waterford Sport Partnership would like to thank Ard Scoil na nDéise for their assistance in this pilot programme and particularly the eight 5th year Cairdre girls, Lauren Mulvihill, Maeve Organ, Mckensie Daly, Taylor Murray, Megan Walsh, Laura Duggan, Sinead McCarthy and Aisling Tobin who ensured the programme ran smoothly. This template will now be used to deliver future programmes with first year students in September 2014.
