by Alan Jacques
A COUNTY Limerick teddy bear has travelled around France, Germany, Belgium, Slovakia, Norway and Bulgaria, to engage the curiosity of students at Coláiste Chiaráin about the lives and cultures of their European neighbours.
Over the past year, Tedd, a cuddly bear that looks sharp in his smart school uniform, has ventured to different schools around Europe to give an insight to life in other countries to his classmates in Croom.
During his travels, Tedd has put Paddington’s adventures to shame after visiting a chocolate maker in Belgium, boarding a Viking ship in Norway, and sitting through political debate at the Parliament Building in Strasbourg.
‘Tedd’s Journey Through Europe’ began as an idea to immerse Limerick teenagers in European culture. Coláiste Chiaráin teacher Evelyn Canty introduced a European Studies course to the school curriculum and was determined to help her students to understand and experience what it means to be European, to learn about Europe, its countries, people and cultures.
“As it would never be possible to visit and experience the culture of each country, the concept of Tedd was created,” Evelyn explained.
“The students in Coláiste Chiaráin research the region of the country Tedd is visiting and choose five things that they want Tedd to be photographed with or to find out about. The school in Europe then try to pick five further things about their region that they want Tedd to experience. All of this information is gathered and uploaded in the form of written text, photos and videos to the website www.tedd.ie,” she said.
The project has not only captured the imagination of Limerick students but has also motivated students throughout Europe as they continue to follow Tedd on his amazing journey.
Students at Coláiste Chiaráin have wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of the European Studies Programme in their school, which is evident in their achievements to date. They represented Ireland at the inaugural Euronest-Scola in the European Parliament in Strasbourg in November 2013 and were again selected to represent Ireland in Euroscola 2015.
On both occasions, the Limerick students presented and debated with their European counterparts on topical themes affecting young people across Europe. Three students also took part in a Mock Council of Europe in Dublin Castle recently, debating on the theme of Renewable Energy in Europe.
The ‘Tedd’s Journey through Europe’ project has also been selected to represent Ireland in the European Charlemagne Youth Prize. The students involved in the project have been awarded a four-day trip to Aachen in Germany where the overall European winner will be announced at a ceremony on May 12.
For more visit www.tedd.ie.
