School Mosaics Project - Newownabbey
Trying to find the best way of involving school children in recycling waste isn’t easy. One approach is to use recycled materials to create colourful mosaics which can give a strong, visable message that underlines the importance of recycling and looking after our environment.
The Schools Mosaic project in Ballyhenry was selected as an environmental education project, using art as a means of bringing the message of recycling into the schools. Identified by the local community, the project aimed to involve a high level of young people from the local community, resulting in the creation of three mosaics representing the motifs of schools within the Ballyhenry area.
The schools involved in the project were Ballyhenry Nursery School, Ballyhenry Primary School and Glengormley High School. The project was funded by the Local Community Fund and supported by the Glenvarna Residents Association, the local community group in Ballyhenry.
Conservation Volunteers commissioned local artists Deirdre McKenna and Tracey Gallogly, to implement the project and bring the concept of the mosaics to life. To capture the ideas of young people, the artists held a series of art workshops with pupils from each of the schools where the children were encouraged to think of images which represented their life, their school and their area.
Selected images from each of the pupils’ drawings were pieced together, along with each of the schools’ emblems, as a collage of images for each of the schools. The artists closely followed the designs in both colour and size and ensured that each pupil had input into the collage. Recycled materials such as broken glass, mirrors, tiles and beads were used to create the colourful mosaics.
In total, 75 pupils attended the various workshops held at each of the schools and a good number of those attended the launch of the project. The pupils were very proud of their work and the project created a feel-good factor within the schools.
The project was officially celebrated with an event held at Ballyhenry Primary School. Local residents, politicians, Community Group members and funders joined pupils and staff from the three schools for the unveiling of the mosaics. Over 40 people attended and the launch was covered in the local press.
The mosaics are now displayed on prominent sites within the school grounds, improving the appearance of the schools and instilling an sense of pride in the children who participated in the project.