See the LIVE BBC Schools Report Here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/community/bus/schoolreport10/schools/st_patricks/
The students carried out 5 interviews
Mr McConville - Global Poverty
Mr Mone - St Vincent de Paul
Mrs McArdle - Teen Magazines
Mr Ryan Bull - Obesity
Stephen King (Student) - Video Game addiction
Video Game Addiction by Adam King 9/60
When video games become more than just games...
People all around the world have become addicted to video games so much so that they have lost family, friends and even their lives. Children as old as eight years old can become addicted to video games, but most commonly teenagers. They can become addicted through emotional or psychological reasons such as depression or anxiety, and sometimes the addiction goes hand in hand with defiant behaviour, ADHD, and other conditions. Although video game addiction is not a mental disorder, up to three million young people could be showing signs of addiction.
Just like gambling and other compulsive behaviours, teens can become so enthralled in the fantasy world of gaming that they neglect their family, friends, work, and school. Studies estimate that 10 percent to 15 percent of gamers exhibit signs that meet the World Health Organization’s criteria for addiction.
The problem with video game addiction isn’t as simple as playing too much or really enjoying video games. Addicted gamers played video games twice as much as casual gamers (24 hours a week), are more than twice as likely to have ADD/ADHD, get into more physical fights, and have health problems caused by long hours of game play. They may also suffer from hand and wrist pain, poor hygiene and irregular eating habits. Many need treatment to improve their academic performance and return to normal functioning.
Perhaps someone will design such a game!!
Poverty in Haiti - Ciara Thornton, Laura Hannan, Shauna Livingstone and Aislinn Lynch
It may not be surprising to hear poverty in Haiti is huge, but realizing that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere is a bit of a shock when you find out it is also home to some of the wealthiest people in the world as well.
Approximately 80% of Haiti’s population lives in extreme poverty; there is a small middle class population and a very small segment of extremely wealthy people, including millionaires.
Most Haitians live in rural areas or very small, often remote, villages.
They live for children to work from very young ages. Those who live in the cities fair without access to electricity or even clean water.
Over half the adult population is illiterate due mostly to the lack of access to education and books and the need no better. In fact, 65% of Haitian children will never finish elementary school and 80% won’t ever attend high school.
Access to healthcare in Haiti is nearly non-existent.
Over 60% of the population lacks access to even the most basic healthcare services. Disease is rampant, overcrowding is extreme and employment is next to nothing.
More than two-thirds of the workforces have no regular jobs. Those who do work often make only about $2 a day in US equivalent wages.
Children in Haiti are widely dependent on the generosity and benevolence of others for the most basic of their needs. Soaring food prices worldwide simply compound the already overwhelming problem. For years food imported under US trade deals was so cheap that it undercut local farmers, further diminishing their ability to earn even the most meager of livings. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization estimates that Haiti produces only about 40% of the food it needs.
Nearly ¾ of the population of Haiti cooks with charcoal, cutting down so many trees that deforestation of the mountains is a major problem.
Only about 4% of the land is in forest, compared to 30% of US land. Extreme weather conditions further threaten the land, with torrential rains during hurricane season racing down deforested mountains and destroying fields, roads and homes. In 2008, four storms killed some 800 people and caused over $1 billion in damages. Evidence of the massive mudslides are still visible a year later as only about 30% of the mud that poured down hillsides has been removed. Clean water is simply unavailable to many.
The poverty in Haiti is nearly unimaginable to many people and the most heartbreaking of its victims are the children.
Lack of food, hygienic living conditions, clean water and basic healthcare combine with epidemic diarrhea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS to give Haiti the highest infant, under-five and maternal mortality rates in the western hemisphere.
Clearly, the Haitian people face some of the most difficult circumstances around the globe. Without continued assistance from the generosity of other nations, the future of Haiti is unlikely to improve anytime in the foreseeable future.
St Vincent de Paul Article by Laura Hannan for BBC
The Society has been in Ireland for 164 years and has extensive experience of working with a diverse range of people who experience poverty and exclusion. Through a network of over 9,500 volunteers, it is strongly committed to working for social justice and advocates the creation of a more just and caring society.
With an annual budget of approximately €56 million in 2008, funding is raised by corporate and public contributions, internal collections and government support for projects tackling social exclusion. Members make a contribution towards our administration cost at each weekly meeting.
The aim of the St Vincent de Paul Society is to tackle poverty in all its forms. The concept of need is broader than financial hardship, so visiting the sick, the lonely, the imprisoned form a large proportion of the Society's work.
The Society operates in small groups, called "Conferences", based on local parishes which meet regularly and their work is usually concentrated on local visiting. However over the years, St Vincent de Paul has responded to social changes. Today, these “Special Works” include shops, resource centres, providing accommodation to vulnerable people and various holiday schemes amongst other things. St Vincent de Paul does not ask for anything in return for their hospitality but to just donate what you can e.g. clothes, toys, money etc.
Child abuse! By Amy Harvey and Kerry McCreesh
Child abuse is when unfortunately children from around the world are being traumatised or hurt in a serious way. We usually believe that this happens at home by parents but we cannot say it’s their entire fault.
We usually depend on social workers when this happens.
Six per cent of children experience frequent and severe emotional maltreatment during childhood.
• Six per cent of children experience serious absence of care at home during childhood.
• Three-quarters of sexually abused children do not tell anyone about the abuse at the time. 27 per cent may tell someone later. Around a third still will not anyone about their experience(s) by early adulthood.
• A quarter of children have experienced one or more forms of physical violence during childhood. This includes being hit with an implement, being hit with a fist or kicked, shaken, thrown or knocked down, beaten up, choked, burned or scalded on purpose, or threatened with a knife or gun. Of this 25 per cent of children, the majority had experienced 'some degree of physical abuse' by parents or careers.
• Almost two thirds of children abused at the hands of another person in England and Wales are aged under five.
There are lots of people and companies willing to help. Below are some of those:
NSPCC,
Youth workers,
Teachers &Friends
Just remember everyone is special and everyone should have a good life.
It’s never your fault!
Poverty - Ciara Thornton, Laura Hannan, Shauna Livingstone and Aislinn Lynch
As you know poverty is one of the main issues in our society today. We are well aware of there was an earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 which left many people in great poverty and distress. Haiti was a large country which is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with a large population of roughly around 8 million.
The epicentre was located near the town of Léogâne, it left roughly 230,000 confirmed dead. An estimated 1.5 million people were left homeless by the 7.0-magnitude quake at least 122 people have been saved by international search-and-rescue teams, according to the US government, but hopes are now fading that anyone will be found alive underneath the rubble.-But we haven’t forgot about the survivors Haiti is planning to house 400,000 earthqua0ke survivors in new tented villages outside the capital, Port-au-Prince which would be well appreciated by these poor Haitians families who live on a small amount of £1.19 a day.- Haiti needs a lot of help and we at saint Patrick’s Keady had a non uniform day organised by the head of geography Mr Mc Conville which we raised in total roughly 6500
Haiti is in great need of help but we can never forget about local poverty in the UK -there is over five million people live in "absolute poverty" in the UK today and 36 percent of the UK is homeless if you are watching now and don’t understand what absolute poverty it is having a lack of food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and access to benefits.-ok I hope we have provide you with enough information about poverty and here are only some of the ways that you can help. Donate money to charities, Volunteer at a homeless shelter for the homeless right in your own town, if you have too much stuff in your closets, attics and drawers? If you’re not using it, lose it. Give it away to your local second hand shops.-Ok that’s all we have for you today but we are going to leave you with one very important message: LETS MAKE POVERTY HISTORY!
Electric Pylon Protest by Finnóla Mallon
Northern Ireland Electricity and Eirgrid from the Republic of Ireland plan to build massive electricity pylons and overhead transmission lines to carry electricity to and from Tyrone and Cavan. The "interconnector" is being planned to help bring about an “all Ireland market” for electricity and to help the companies that generate electricity in the North and the South to increase the supply to their customers across the whole of Ireland.
It’s proposed that the pylons will carry a 400,000 volt supply with the path of the pylons running across the Armagh – Monaghan border. Many communities along the length of the route will be affected and people are very concerned. Their first concern is for their health & safety, electricity transmission lines produce very strong Electro Magnetic Fields and many people believe that this type of exposure can make you very sick and increase your risks of developing cancer. The second is that no one wants to live near pylons and many people feel trapped as just the thought of having a pylon close to them will make the value of their homes fall. Lastly pylons are ugly and many say they will destroy the look of what is a beautiful and unspoiled part of Ireland.
The lion’s share of people want to see the cables put underground. They don't want to stop progress but insist that the communities along the proposed route should be protected. Putting cables underground will cost more money and the cost of electricity in Northern Ireland is already very high, however if we lived in any of those communities then putting the cable underground would be seen as the fairest thing to do and it’s the most kind to the environment also.
The Butts stop Here By Amanda Tomany, Julie Carr, Claire McElvanna and Olivia McKerney 9/60
On Wednesday 10th March was the annual No smoking day. Smoking is an awful habit for both adults and underage people. This is a reason why we had no smoking day. Heath Minister Michael McGimpsey has now joined the Ulster cancer Foundation (UCF) to urge thousands of smokers all over Northern Ireland to put down the cigarettes and to stop smoking.
Smoking has now become a trend for young people and they get urged by their peers to start it or else they won’t be cool….This isn’t good enough. Smoking is very serious and it could do you a lot of harm…. No Smoking day urged lots of underage smokers and adults to stop smoking for just one day and hopefully this will lead to bigger things.
Smoking can affect your career when you are older if you are underage and if you are an adult you can get lung cancer, poor skin, poor hair, brown teeth, yellow fingers, thinning of the blood or even throat cancer. The theme for No smoking day this year was “Break free we can help”. This is to tell people that there are ways to escape this horrible habit and break free.
Gerry McElwee who is head of cancer prevention UCF who co-ordinated no smoking day said that 24% of adults in Northern Ireland smoke and research shows that two thirds of them would like to quit. The annual campaign for No Smoking day has been more effective on Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK. This success is by the co-ordinated efforts of both statutory and voluntary organisations in Northern Ireland. The Health minister also said that he wants to help smokers to quit but to also ensure that no more underage people will take up the horrible habit. Gerry added that whoever stops smoking will receive better health and will have more money. They will also feel fitter and they will save a stack of money which will rise by about £41 a week and they will also feel better with themselves.
Some Tips:
Call your local free stop smoking service on 0800 85 85 85 and get some advice
Try patches ,gum or tablets for stopping smoking
Get support from family and friends and they will give you the encouragement which is just what you need.
No smoking day this year was very effective and hopefully next year lots more people will put down the cigarettes…
Celebrity Magazines and Brainwashed Teens Katie Carroll, Emer Conroy, Naimh Morgan and Sarah McAnallen
We don't realize it but celebrity magazines take over our lives! They have an influence somehow on everything we do whether we are choosing what to wear or creating a new hairstyle, the content of last weeks 'OK' is always in the back of our minds. You could say magazines are helpful in that way but some magazines cross the line and are teaching young teenagers extreme and wrong ways to make themselves stylish and glamorous. These so-called guiding magazines have the whole wrong idea on what the words “beautiful” and “glamorous” truly means. These ‘Trashazines’ change young confident teenagers into self conscious wrecks by forcing plastic surgery, crazy celebrity diets and designer clothing into their brains. This isn't just putting pressure on these vulnerable teens but putting pounds of pressure on worried parents with brainwashed kids. Magazines have proved to have a shocking influence on eating disorders.
Eating disorders are one of the main problems in our society today. In the UK 26% of our population are either over-weight or obese. We are third in the world on the obesity scale,
but eating disorders aren’t all about obesity, other eating disorders which affect our world today is an eating disorder called anorexia. Anorexia is an eating disorder where people starve themselves. Anorexia usually begins in young people around 13 upwards as this is the time where they are more vunerable and have doubts about the way they look. Its always sad to hear about these heart breaking conditions but we have to be aware that it could happen to anyone whether its your sister, mum or you. Individuals suffering from anorexia have extreme weight loss. People suffering from anorexia are very skinny but are convinced that they are overweight.
Another common eating disorder that is just as dangerous as other disorders is Bulimia, Bulimia is inappropriate methods of weight control which include vomiting, fasting, or compulsive exercising. Some side affects are dizziness and light headedness.
All of these are very serious illnesses. These illnesses greatly affect the person’s life and the people around them. These sufferers are very good are hiding what is going on in their life, they have low confidence issues. We think that celebrities are perfect and we are not. Therefore we want to be like them, some people go to extraordinary lengths. We are not perfect and no-one is. Life as an anorexic, bulimic or obese person can disable you from doing normal things. People also judge you from what you look like but that does not matter as long as you are happy being you that is all that matters. You are a strong independent and unique person, there is no-one like you and you should be happy as you are.
