In March, Avolon partnered with the Maureen Smithwick Academic Scholarship Busary to provide funding towards their academic scholarship programme in Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun.

Maureen Smithwick Scholarship In March, Avolon partnered with the Maureen Smithwick Academic Scholarship Busary to provide funding towards their academic scholarship programme in Trinity Comprehensive, Ballymun. The scholarship is co-ordinated by the Ballymun Initiative for Third Level Education (BITE) and managed by a scholarship committee with representatives from Trinity Comprehensive School and the local Community & Voluntary Sector. Avolon’s contribution of €30,000 will extend the scholarship to a further group of students over a three year programme starting in September 2015. The scholarship application is open to all Transition Year students at Trinity Comprehensive and each year, ten students are selected. The program provides students with financial, educational and motivational support to progress to further or higher education. Students are given individual and group support to prepare for their Leaving Cert, and financial and academic support continues through the students’ first year in third level education. 2013-2014 was the first year of graduation of nine students, eight of which advanced to study in DCU and one to IT. The scholarship has had an amazing impact on the lives of the kids and teachers in Trinity Comprehensive, where the work ethic and self-belief of an entire school has changed for the better. The scholarship does not receive any direct government funding and Avolon is the program’s first corporate partner. For additional information on the Ballymun Initatitve for Third Level Education, please visit their website at http://www.biteballymun.com/index.html