School Daze are the happiest for young reporters

Pupils from St Matthew’s Academy in Saltcoats are being given the chance to show off their journalistic skills – and learn about their area at the same time.

The pupils are taking part in School Daze, part of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company’s innovative education programme being run with local schools.

School Daze will see the group of pupils work to produce an 8-page supplement on the regeneration of their area, which will be published in The Irvine Times and Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald in Irvine Bay in mid-July.

The youngsters are being asked to produce articles and photography to provide a factual commentary on the work taking place in their area, to look at specific regeneration projects, and also to look at events and things to do and see in the area.

However they are also being asked to think about what their area means to them, and what benefits they would like to see come from the regeneration work.

Patrick Wiggins, Chief Executive of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, said: “We have a very full programme of engagement with local schools because it is essential that regeneration is seen as more than improving the physical environment of an area

“We need to make sure our young people are engaged with what we are doing and to encourage pride in the area, after all they are the future of Irvine Bay. And in working on these projects, they also develop their other skills in terms of creativity, imagination and technical skills.”