Rush Primary Students Win RSA Leading Lights Award

Rush National School have been awarded an RSA Leading Lights Award for their Junior School Warden programme.

Rush National School began the Junior School Warden programme with the aim of educating students on road safety and empowering them to make their school a safer place. With support from Fingal County Council, a panel of 40 students from 6th class were trained by the local School Warden, Fiona McGuinness to take on the role of Junior School Warden. The students received the very same training as their adult colleagues who take up positions at schools throughout Fingal every day.

The programme has now been recognised for its innovative approach and the commitment of the students and teachers who have brought it to life. TV personality and awards host, Simon Delaney, presented Rush National School with the Leading Lights Award in the Education Primary category on Thursday, 7 December 2023 at the ceremony in the RDS Concert Hall.

Now in their fourteenth year, the Leading Lights Awards from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) recognise and honour the contribution made by individuals, groups and communities from all over Ireland in reducing serious injuries and deaths on our roads.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Adrian Henchy, was delighted to attend the ceremony and led the many messages of congratulations for Rush National School, saying ‘It’s a wonderful occasion to see these responsible and passionate young students being rewarded for their hard work. Becoming school wardens is a serious undertaking and the pupils of Rush National School have done it brilliantly, leading the way in their community by putting road safety first. They should be extremely proud of their achievement’.

Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly says ‘We often say that everyone has a part to play in keeping Fingal safe, but it is rare and special to see children come forward and take on this important role. By becoming their own School Wardens, the pupils of Rush National School are protecting their friends, their families, their teachers, and themselves but they are also fostering leadership skills and a sense of civic duty. I’m very pleased to congratulate them on their win.’

Fingal County Council’s Department of Environment, Climate Action, Active Travel and Sport provided the Junior School Warden training and support for the school to encourage Active Travel by walking or cycling.

Principal of Rush National School, Morgan Doran, says the school considers the Junior School Warden programme a perfect opportunity to teach road safety. ‘The school crossing is always very busy and there is potential for danger with children making their way home and lots of vehicles passing by. By taking on the ‘role’ of school warden, the children experience first-hand the importance of road safety, and they come to fully understand how vital it is that everyone follows the rules of the road, whether they are walking into school or passing in a car. We’re very proud of their achievement and delighted to see their hard work being recognised by the RSA. We would encourage other schools around Ireland or in Fingal to consider starting their own Junior School Warden programme.’

To learn more about this and other Active Travel projects visit www.fingal.ie/activetravel