
Each year, the Michael Sweetman Educational Trust, with the generous assistance of Education and Training Boards and the support of the European Parliament, assisted by EM Ireland and the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), awards a trip to Euroscola in Strasbourg, France to 24 Leaving Certificate Applied students, attending an ETB School, College or Centre.
At Euroscola, these students have the opportunity to spend a day in the shoes of an MEP, learning about the workings of the European Institutions from the inside, discussing democracy and fundamental rights with other teenagers from all over the EU and expressing their personal opinions on Europe in the chamber of the European Parliament.
Requirements
The competition is open to Leaving Certificate Applied students of ETB Schools, Colleges or Centres. It is based on the Leaving Certificate Applied Contemporary Social Issues Task, as chosen by the student. The student will be required to make an oral presentation to the Sweetman Assessor(s) on their chosen task. The task must either incorporate a European dimension or have a European dimension relevant to the topic added to it. The presentation of the task (as a work in progress) will take place in or around the month of December.
The selected student will represent their School/College/Centre, their ETB, the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme and Ireland. Those judged successful will be required to prepare for the EUROSCOLA events in Strasbourg.
The 24 winning entries will receive all expenses paid trip to Strasbourg, France to attend the pan-European Youth Forum, Euroscola, at the European Parliament. This includes return flights to Strasbourg, a sightseeing trip of the city, accommodation for the winners and participation in Euroscola.
This is a great opportunity for students to meet, work and socialise with other students representing each EU country, and also to get a closer look at how decisions are made in the EU.
Each winning student will commit to taking an active part in the EUROSCOLA forum in the European Parliament with their peers, to prepare diligently for it and to forward a report (written and/or photographic) to ETBI after the trip.