Integrated Education Celebrated at the Carson Awards Showcase at Integrated College Glengormley.
The Carson Award Showcase is an annual event where Integrated pupils show their creative talent and all the amazing projects they have been working on.
The Carson Awards are an exciting opportunity for young people to express themselves creatively under the theme ‘What Integrated Education Means to Me’. Carson Bursaries were awarded to schools to financially support pupils who wished to submit an entry into the Carson Awards.
Lagan College pupils performing at the Carson Awards Showcase 2023.
The Carson Bursary grant programme and Carson Awards were generously started by late comedian and Integrated Education supporter Frank Carson, along with his son Tony Carson in 2008. The awards are delivered through the Integrated Education Fund (IEF).
Millennium IPS pupil and teacher receiving their Carson Award from co-founder Tony Carson.
Tony Carson, business entrepreneur and co-founder of the Carson awards, commented:
“I am very proud to have established the Carson Awards along with my late dad Frank to help support Integrated Education. The entries keep growing in quality every year and are a tribute to the creativity shining through in the young people involved. Creativity and the arts make an enormous contribution to society and so it is vital to nurture and recognise the next generation of talented artists across all mediums.”
Fort Hill IPS pupils at the Carson Awards Showcase 2023.
The Showcase event gives those who have won a Carson Award the opportunity to show their creative projects. This year the Showcase event was held in Integrated College Glengormley, which is particularly fitting given that the host school has won a Special Award for Innovation and Design this year.
Paul Caskey OBE, Head of Campaign, at the IEF said:
“The IEF are delighted to be celebrating the 15th year of the Carson Awards. It is important that young people have the opportunity to express ‘What an Integrated Education Means to Me” and the Carson Awards provides such a platform to do just that whilst supporting their creative skills. The quality of the work never ceases to amaze. We are so impressed by the quality and innovation of the Integrated pupils’ work on display here today. From theatre to literature, film to photography, comedy to poetry – the variety of projects is a testament to the variety of interests and skills being fostered within Integrated schools today. We want to congratulate all the worthy winners here today.
The IEF also wants to thank Tony Carson for his continued support for the Carson Awards, which is a fitting tribute to the legacy of our friend and supporter Frank Carson.”
Ulidia IC pupils, along with Tony Carson and host Jim Fitzpatrick, displaying their lego artwork entitled ‘Better Together.’
For more information on the Carson bursary programme and Carson Awards please see our website here: https://www.ief.org.uk/our-work/grants/carson-awards/
New-Bridge IC pupils reciting their winning poems.
