By Michelle Crean 

Killarney Community College is one of 16 schools in Ireland to be recognised by the AIB Future Sparks Programme which focuses on themes including sustainability, financial wellness, health and well-being, globalisation and civic literacy.

The local school was selected out of 585 schools registered with the programme and will now take part in a tree planting ceremony with their local AIB branch manager. 

The AIB Future Sparks Programme is a new skills-based interdisciplinary programme for secondary school students, aimed at supporting 12-18-year-olds in the development and learning of key life skills. It also supports the development of core skills including communications, critical thinking and digital innovation.

Guidance counsellor in Killarney Community College, Niamh Mulligan, saw the challenges that students faced when moving from primary school into secondary school, so she set out to support their First Year students, helping them learn the skills they would need to adapt to the change.

The school prioritised time and space the young students need to focus on well-being topics such as self-esteem, self-confidence, decision-making, family challenges, stress and mental health. They set up workshops and found resources, such as the AIB Future Sparks Programme First Year Transition Workbook, which helped their students learn the necessary skills.

Killarney Community College has received a plaque to commemorate its participation, as well as a native Irish tree which will be planted on the grounds of their school.

These trees will contribute to the bank’s commitment to plant 90,000 native Irish trees over the next three years on behalf of new AIB second-level student account holders. Students were also awarded with individual digital certs to recognise their hard work while supporting biodiversity.

“The AIB Future Sparks programme is giving our students valuable life skills," Niamh said. "When students are happy, they learn.”

AIB’s Chief People Officer, Geraldine Casey, added that she'd like to "congratulate Killarney Community College on their fantastic achievement and indeed all of the students and schools who have participated in the AIB Future Sparks Programme".

"At AIB, we are delighted to play our part in supporting students and teachers with educational resources under this programme to guide skills development and preparedness for life beyond school and the world of work.”

Through the programme, students and teachers have access to over 55 educational videos from more than 45 different business, thought leaders and entrepreneurs. They also have access to 190 educational resources including case studies, worksheets, lesson plans and exam questions with content tailored to the various age groups throughout second level.

The AIB Future Sparks Programme is free for all teachers and schools to join, and they can register for the programme on AIB’s website.