There are no work placements in The Irish Times for Transition Year students available for the rest of this school year. However, a £20 book token is on offer to each student who has a 200-word mediarelated article published in Media Scope's weekly Over to You column. Write to us at the address below. .
Sarah Hynes, St Dominic's College, Cabra, Dublin
With the exams fast approaching, the pressure on all Junior Cert students is mounting. The media has recently highlighted the plight of students with disabilities trying to compete in exams on an equal basis with able-bodied students. However, there is a third group of students who, while not disabled, have to make special preparations.
For examples, students with diabetes like myself have to monitor stress levels very carefully, because stress can cause "lows" (i.e. when the glucose or blood-sugar level drops to a potentially dangerous level). If this happens during an exam, I will have to take a glucose drink or a sugary substance and wait for this to take effect, which can take up to 20 minutes.
Also, during the exams, I will have the added pressure of having to leave the exam hall to take my insulin injection. It is still not clear if extra time will be given to account for this disruption.
Because I have only recently been diagnosed with this condition, I will be glad of the chance to take part in Transition Year next year, since it will give me valuable time to adjust to my new situation without having to deal with the pressure of exams.
James McCreesh, De La Salle College, Churchtown, Dublin
As I glanced through some old newspapers, I came across an article about Rivaldo. The man who has recently won the FIFA Player of the Year award was linked with a move to Lazio for an astounding transfer fee of £34 million! Where is this madness going to stop?
The transfer fees of players are getting more outrageous. It wasn't too long ago that Roy Keane was considered one of the most expensive players in England, signing from Nottingham Forest for £3.75 million. Now, the transfer fee of £34 million is almost 10 times Roy Keane's fee.
This worries me, as I am a big fan of Irish team St Patrick's Athletic. St Pat's do not have money like the big European teams, and neither do any of the other Irish teams or some English teams. In my opinion, these ridiculous fees are ruining the "beautiful game", and it won't be long before there are only a handful of teams with the funds to pay the huge wage bills and transfer fees for the top players.
I just hope that future footballers will decide to participate for the love of the game, instead of the love of the green.
Write to media scope by posting your comments to Newspaper in the Classroom, The Irish Times, 11-16 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, or faxing them to (01) 679 2789. Be sure to include your name, address and school, plus phone numbers for home and school. Or you can use the Internet and e-mail us at mediapage@irishtimes.ie
media scope is a weekly media studies page for use in schools. Group rates and a special worksheet service (see `faxback', right) are available: FREEPHONE 1800-798884.
media scope is edited by Harry Browne.
