Bunclody Vocational College swept into Champion School of Sanctuary status this week, the culmination of a year’s hard work and foundations of acceptance and respect sown over many years. The monitoring team led by Aileen Kennedy, principal of Bunscoil Loreto, was deeply impacted by many indications of the whole school engaging with the programme, led by a large group of enthusiastic TYs. Students took responsibility for everything, welcoming and directing visitors, a multi-media presentation of the Sanctuary journey, the writing and performance of a moving song about the impact of careless racism, and a tour of the school showing the multiple ways that Sanctuary has become a natural part of life for everyone.

Mohammad from Egypt, a parent in the school community: “This school has made me and my family feel really welcome. I was so happy that I could cook food for the International Day, and chat to other international and Irish parents. My daughter loves it here, she feels she can be herself and her confidence grows every year – she is working hard as well because she wants to be a doctor!”

View the school’s portfolio: https://cdn.cityofsanctuary.org/uploads/sites/168/2023/05/Bunclody-Vocational-College.pdf

The school’s band “Back Grounds” sang a song on the day of the monitoring visit. It’s called “Stand Up For Each other”, a beautiful song that they wrote themselves about racism….

“I am different from you
That is all you see
And while that is true
You don’t actually know me”

Students from Bunclody Vocational College during the SoSI monitoring day