Why Chose TY??

At the moment third years are making their choice whether to do TY next year. This blog post will show you why you should pick TY. 

Some people are of the opinion that Ty is a very lead back year and is sometimes considered a dose year. However, it is actually quite the opposite. It is a very hands on year. Ty is all about learning to motivate yourself, learning to work as a team, improve presentation skills, personal skills and prepositional skills. 

One of the major aspects of TY is Work Experience. In St. Wolstan's students must organize their own work placements for three different block weeks. For some people it can be quite difficult at first to find a work placement, however this teaches us that not everything is handed to you. This is a valuable lesson an once we start work we will have to source our own interviews and  work placements. Work experience also teaches how to act in a profestional inviornment. You also learn what you like and interests you and maybe what you would like to study at third level! 

All TY's must take every subject available  Therefore, you will end up taking some subjects you have never studied for your Junior Cert. For example; I didn't study Home Ec. or Art for my Junior cert so I am learning lots of new cooking, baking, drawing and creative skills in these classes this year. ( Check out our Art blog here! ) With the extra time on our hands as well we have the opportunity to look at topics that are not covered in the Junior or Leaving Cert. This can be really interesting and you also enhance your knowledge. 

A big part of Ty is working in groups. Some people love it and some people hate it. For nearly every project you will be put into a group. Working in groups teaches you how to communicate with your fellow peers and also work as a team to achieve a common goal. Every group will have it's difficulties and sometimes not everyone will pull their weight. But you have to learn to overcome those difficulties and delegate the work that needs to be done. ( Some of bigger project such as formula 1 competition and our mini company project work worked on in groups check them out! )

All in all I would defiantly recommend doing TY as it teaches you a wide range of new skills which can be applied to any aspect of your life. You make loads of new friends in TY and get to know people you have never spoken to before. Also make sure if you are doing TY to put yourself forward for everything and make the most of your sightly less intense year! There are loads of clubs and sports to get involved with such as green schools and choir and orchestra.  

Some wise words from Mrs. L the TY co-ordinater, "You get out of Ty what you put in!"

Why not check out more of the TY blogs at St. Wolstan's.

D-Day

Yesturday was another major date in the TY's calender. It was the presentation of our Mini Companies to the judges. All 14 Mini Companies set up their stands and displays in the has of the judges to see. At aroun 9:30 the judges arrived and had a quick look around all of the stands and each company gave them a brief idea of  what their company was about. When they came to us we showed them how our app would work and the layout of it. 

After a short break the presentations began. Each company went up one by one to present to the judges. The judges seemed very interested in our product and we thought that they like our idea but they did ask us how was our app different from existing sporting apps. 

Later, the awards were presented to some of the companies. We were delighted to accept the Best Business Report Award. The judges also announced the 4 finalists who would be shortlisted for the regional finials. Unfortunatly we didn't get through but the 4 other teams defiantly deserved their place. 

Here is our stand on the day, we also choose to dress up in the 4 sports that we choose to write about:;Hockey, Camogie, gealic And horse riding. 

A third year student wondering what Mini Company will be like next year?... Click here for more information on the Kildare Enterprise awards. 

Sportscope App Presentation

Our mini company is called Sportscope. Our product is a sports skills App (Application) for phones and computers.  The App would be used to boost your sports skills and knowledge in four chosen sports (hockey, camogie, Gaelic football and horse riding) whether you’re a beginner or simply trying to improve your skills. 

This App was made using Windows Software on a computer and then it will be sold on the windows App store.  Our aim is to develop a high quality and unique App.  Our company aims to bridge the gap that exists in the market between workout Apps and specific sporting Apps.

Sportscope app presentation from katiehurley06

Final Mini Company Workshop

This week we attended our final Mini Company workshop at the Odeon cinema in Newbridge. As usual Orla  was presenting the workshop. This work shop was a lot more involve as Orla went around to nearly each mini company and asked how each company was doing and what the financial side of things were looking like. unfortunately Orla did get a chance to come to our group at the lunch break we got to have a quick chat with her about how we were getting on. She was very impressed by our idea which is a Sports Skills app. She also informed us that there were very few apps in the competition there fore we had a good chance! 

Later, Orla spoke to us about the importance of developing a business relationship with people and how to work as a team in order to reach your goal. Orla then showed us a DVD on how we should act around people in a business internment. 

Afterwards we got to look around WhiteWater  however my friends and I just went straight to get food at Ginzeng. I was delicious! ;) 

Bond, James Bond!!

Today we traveled  to Odeon cinema in Naas for our second mini company workshop. However, when we arrived we got news that our presenter, Orla was ill and the workshop would not be going ahead. So instead the staff decided that we could watch the new James Bond film "Skyfall"!! The shouts and screams let out by everyone was unreal! We all couldn't believe it and we were so excited. It's fair to say everyone got really into the film as-well, like clapping when Bond killed the villain! :D

Afterwards we were greeted with another present surprise.... everyone got a goodie bag with popcorn, sweets, a drink and a Madagascar cup! ;) It amazing how excited TY's get with free stuff! ;) Today was defiantly one of the best days of TY so far!! :) Thanks to the business teachers for bring us today it was truly enjoyed by all.

Business Workshop

On Friday we attended the first of three workshops organized by our Mini Company Teachers at Odeon Cinema in Naas. We attended the workshop with 3 other schools from Kildare. The workshop was presented by a lady called Orla who gave us ways of coming up with ideas for our Mini companies. She showed us some of the winning companies from past years which was very interesting to see the ideas they came up with. She also taught us about working in a team and the roles that must be undertaken. After our teachers kindly brought us to Lidl in Clane! ;) We couldn't stop laughing as the 80 of us walked through the door. Using loose change from the bottom of our bags, we bought the cheapest sweets we could find! :) lol 

When we got home we were just in time for Junk Kouture in Home Ec. Our outfits are really beginning to take shape! I can't wait to see everyone's finished product! 

Today we all finalist our ideas for the Young Scientist with our Science teachers. We will be working hard over the next week in order to finish our proposals which are due next week!

This week is also our first week of work experience hopefully all goes well for everyone.