Rotary Youth Leadership award for Adrienne Gallen

A Donegal secondary school pupil was among just 14 teenagers from all over the island of Ireland to be conferred with a Rotary Youth Leadership award at the European Parliament’s offices in Dublin. 

The competition, which is one of Rotary Ireland’s longest running youth projects, rewards young people with clear leadership potential based on their extra-curricular activities. It is run in conjunction with the EU offices in Dublin and Euroscola in Strasbourg. 

Adrienne Gallen, a student at St. Columba’s College Stranorlar, received the award from Rotary Ireland District Governor David Murray and Patrick O’Riordan, PR Officer with the European Parliament. Adrienne was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Strabane/Lifford. 

Adrienne has previously been involved in speech and drama and debating teams but her main extra-curricular activity at the moment is track and field athletics. She is a hammer thrower and recently won a bronze medal at European U18 level in Paris. 

Adrienne says the competition has given her so many unique opportunities. 

“From gaining interview experience in the early rounds to presenting speeches and proposals to a panel, all while meeting the most amazing people and having the absolute best time traveling,” she said.

“I could not recommend this competition enough as I leave with skills that will benefit me in the future and memories that will last a lifetime.” 

Usually, the award winners enjoy an exciting, six day, all expenses paid, team building trip to Belfast, Dublin and Strasbourg. This includes visits to The Titanic Centre, a tour of Stormont, a visit to the European Parliament offices in Dublin and a tour of Dáil Éireann. 

Participants then fly out to Strasbourg for the highlight of the trip, a full day of debating a variety of motions at Euroscola at the European Parliament with about five hundred other students from all over Europe. On the final day the winners enjoy a sightseeing trip around Strasbourg. 

Unfortunately, this year due to covid the Strasbourg element and some of the tours did not proceed. 

However, the group did visit The Titanic Centre and City Hall in Belfast and went on tours of Dublin Castle and Trinity College in Dublin. The final part of the trip was a visit to the EU’s Dublin office, Europe House and a showcase event in The Freemasons Hall in Dublin city centre where the students presented on a range of issues to a panel including Green MEP Ciaran Cuffe. 

Some of the topics the students presented on included European Security, Climate Change and the Environment and Migration.

David Murray, District Governor of Rotary Ireland said the standard of the presentations was hugely impressive. 

“I have to compliment Adrienne and all of this year’s winners for the extremely high standard of their presentations. This year the programme was unfortunately curtailed due to covid but the response of this group to that and everything else Covid has thrown at them has been really impressive.

“The resilience and enthusiasm they have shown in their local communities and during this programme reflects so well on all our young people.” 

“Hopefully the full programme will be back up and running next year and I would urge as many young people as possible from every part of the island to take part” Mr Murray said.

The Rotary Youth Leadership Development Competition is open to 16- and 17-year-olds living on the island of Ireland.