Transition Year students can win a week's work placement in The Irish Times. Send us your thoughts (200 words maximum) on a media-related topic - if your submission is published, the placement is yours.

Mary Clare Connellan, Alexandra College, Dublin

As most people know, there are plans to improve the road from Belfast to Rosslare. This will ease an otherwise painful journey considerably. The progress of these improvements is being hindered by a pack of begrudging Celtic tree-sprites. They have taken it upon themselves to save some deciduous trees formerly common to Ireland (in particular the oak) which this road would otherwise run through.

Their plan seems to be to sit up in the trees and grow their hair long. These good-earth sprites sit up there looking down on everybody else stopping the progress which would make a hard journey more pleasant.

They should come down from the trees, cut their dreadlocks, get jobs, earn money, buy land and plant acorns. The resultant oak trees would be there for future generations to enjoy.

All they are doing is making life uncomfortable for everybody else. Their actions are pointless and unconstructive because the moment they leave the trees they will be cut down.

I am not a tree-hating city girl. Trees are and always will be a part of our heritage, but an important lesson for life is that unconstructive action never achieves anything and gets on everyone's nerves.

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media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools. Group rates and a special worksheet service are available: FREEPHONE 1-800-798884 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). media scope is edited by Harry Browne.