We love seeing our name in print — and right now, it seems to be everywhere! Following our recent B!G Showcase, media outlets across Ireland have been celebrating our students, their winning B!G Ideas, and the impact of the programme itself.
In recent weeks, we’ve featured in:
Meanwhile, radio stations including Tipp FM, KCLR and Limerick Today have interviewed students and members of The B!G Idea team. Importantly, the media hasn’t just focused on the winners. Journalists have also explored the wider programme, highlighting the value of creative thinking skills in education.
The Kilkenny People shared the story from the perspective of Kilkenny Youthreach, a training and work experience programme that supports early school leavers. Students can pursue the Leaving Certificate Applied or traditional Leaving Certificate subjects through Youthreach. This year, Kilkenny Youthreach submitted two projects — and one won the Mental Health category.
Additionally, the article highlighted how The B!G Idea now runs across Transition Year and Leaving Cert Applied programmes, while also trialling the programme with neurodivergent students.
The Limerick Leader reported on the impressive number of entries from the region. Notably, 45% of Limerick submissions focused on mental health challenges. This statistic reinforces how deeply students engage with real issues that affect their lives and communities.
The Carlow Nationalist proudly declared Carlow the winning county with the headline: “St Leo’s scoop national award with creative big ideas for the future.” The article named the winning team members and featured teacher Deirdre Wilson, who said:
“The girls picked up an idea and did so much research work on it. They emailed their mentors in The B!G Idea and got so much support from them. I’m so incredibly proud of them.”
Furthermore, the paper also highlighted Borris Vocational School’s success in the Climate Change category with their idea for portable wind turbines.
Meanwhile, The Argus celebrated Bush Post Primary School’s win in the Equality category. The coverage also explained how The B!G Idea runs across Transition Year, Youthreach and Leaving Cert Applied programmes.
Radio interviews added even more energy to the celebrations. KCLR welcomed the overall winning team and members of the Kilkenny Youthreach winners into the studio — a tight but exciting squeeze! At the same time, Head of Education Fiona Byrne joined by phone to discuss the wider impact of the programme.
Tipp FM interviewed three students from Spark Youth who won the Equality category. Judges described their LGBTQ-focused website as leaving “a lasting smile on their faces.”
Meanwhile, Limerick Today spoke with teachers Donal Enright (Desmond College) and Conor Power (Coláiste Chiaráin).
Donal praised his students’ research and teamwork behind their winning project, Geodesic Homes. Conor highlighted how his team used robotics and app development skills for their healthcare project, Dr Disease. He also emphasised the value of mentor access and programme resources that connect industry directly with students.
Across all media coverage, one message came through clearly: demand is growing. As more schools seek access to The B!G Idea, we now face a waiting list for 2023. Therefore, fundraising remains critical to ensure more students can develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. We won’t stop until everyone understands the value of creative thinking in shaping future-ready learners.
If you would like to help more students access The B!G Idea initiative, please get in touch.
