St. Josephs National School students create winning video on the power to take a break from the internet and social media.
Primary school pupils from St. Josephs National School in Ballyheigue have won the top prize in the Trend Micro ‘What’s your Story’ video competition, which gives young people a platform to educate others and nurture safer, more responsible use of the internet.
Their video entry “I Got the Power” beat off stiff competition from schools all over the country, in responding to this year’s competition theme “If you had one special power to make life online better, what would it be?”
Speaking at the What’s Your Story awards presentation, Trend Micro’s Global Programme Manager for Internet Safety said:
“The prevailing theme of 2019 from young people of Ireland was the importance of self awareness online and knowing the choices you have when you’re online. Not believing everything you see online, being your true authentic self, recognising the importance of self care and self love online and knowing when to switch off and appreciate friends and life around you.”
“From a set of binoculars to see who you’re really talking to, freezing time so you can game all night but then go back and sleep all night or having the power to understand peoples feelings before you post something were just some of the many incredible and creative special power ideas were put forward. These were the themes that young Irish students presented as their special powers to make life online better for everyone.
“‘I always have the choice’ proclaims students in the overall winning video ‘I have the power’ St Joseph’s NS Ballyheigue, Kerry. We don’t need new special technologies to make life online better, we always have choices online to do the right thing for ourselves and for others.”
The YMCA Ireland West Cork group of 3 teens, Alicia O’Sullivan, Luka Baronicevaite, Mark Healy, won the overall group award with their video “Caught in the Web” which emphasised how human special powers can make life online better.
The individual winner (aged 8 to 12 years) was won by Niamh Lavery in Cork for her video ‘A Clearer View’ to emphasize the dangers of talking to strangers online, and the superpower binoculars that she would like to have to see through the internet to who people really are.
‘Think Critically, Click Critically’ was also an individual video winner for over 13 years category, while ‘Back in My Day’ by Dramarama Cork won the group category for aged 8 -12 years.
More than €8,000 was distributed by Trend Micro to the winners of the competition across various categories.
A global leader in security software and cybersafety, Trend Micro hosts “What’s your Story” globally each year to encourage dialogue amongst young people on issues such as online trust, digital privacy, cyberbullying and internet safety.
