5th year student Shauna Scannell was among the 24 Irish students who won the recent nationwide competition, the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. This award aims to identify young people between the ages of 15-18 who show leadership qualities in their communities, school or home. First prize is a once in a lifetime trip to Stormont, Dáil Éireann, and finally the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In the first round of the competition entrants were interviewed in their school by the Rotary Club representatives. Shauna Scannell, Ciara Mahon, Sarah Hennessey, Rachel Hoyne and Louise Kenny participated in this round.
Shauna Scannell was chosen to represent Loreto in the Kilkenny Rotary Club Final where she faced nine of the winners from schools throughout Kilkenny City and County. Despite tough competition, Shauna was named the winner and progressed to the regional finals the following week which were hosted locally in the Club House Hotel.
In this final round, Shauna was interviewed together with five other candidates including students from Carlow, Wexford, Wicklow, Waterford and Clonmel. Shauna demonstrated excellent leadership qualities in her role as captain of the Kilkenny Swimming Club and her contribution to coaching the Kilkenny Special Olympics swimming team. She also displayed great awareness and understanding of European politics throughout the tough interview process and her experience of representing Loreto’s successful debating team helped to secure her win.
Shauna will travel with the Irish contingent to Strasbourg, France next February and will no doubt find the trip an exciting and educational experience.