Aspirations soar, as Mercy Secondary School, Inchicore becomes fourth Dublin School to join DPS Group’s Aspire2 School Support Programme

19 October 2020

Mercy Secondary School in Inchicore is the latest Dublin school to Join Aspire2, the schools support programme funded and operated by engineering company DPS Group.

This is the 6th year of the programme, and Mercy joins the three other Dublin schools, Rosary College, Crumlin and two Ballyfermot schools, Kylemore College and St Dominic’s College, as well as four schools in Cork. Janice Mc Garry, who manages Aspire2, says “It is a huge source of satisfaction that the students have been supported to fulfil their potential and many have progressed to further education and third level in arts and humanities courses, law, music, and biological sciences.

Since 2015, more than 1,000 students in the Cork and Dublin schools have been assisted by Aspire2 by providing academic support, direct funding, and individual mentoring by DPS staff, who have volunteered their time to take part in the programme. I am also delighted that some of our Aspire2 alumni have set up their own initiative, AweZoom Grinds, to support current students with online grinds and mentoring.”

Chloe Nagle, past pupil of the programme, added “Aspire2 has helped me tremendously, not just academically, but with ‘hands-on’ work placement experience and I love how young people are consulted to have a voice in this programme.”

The Principal of Mercy Secondary School, Michelle O’ Kelly, said “From my contacts with the other Dublin schools that are already part of Aspire2, I know it has made an enormous difference and we are very happy to be joining the programme. Education transforms lives and we are delighted to have the support from DPS to improve our students’ choices and help them to achieve their full potential, especially given the added challenges, that we are facing as a result of the pandemic.”

This will enable the schools to provide additional supports to students, in various areas including: Easter revision camps, summer schools, oral language preparation, Gaeltacht scholarships, motivational workshops,  personal development, science and lecture labs workshops, college visits, study related trips, site visits to pharmaceutical companies, ICT Supports and student bursaries.

Ms. Mc Garry said, “It is very exciting that DPS has committed a further €1 million for phase two of Aspire2 to assist in the expansion of the programme.” She added that DPS would welcome other corporate sponsors to support Aspire2 and that DPS would work in parallel with these companies to expand and strengthen the programme, in the coming years.

In Dublin, DPS is partnered in Aspire2 with University College Dublin and Technology University Dublin, Trinity College Dublin Access Programme, Maynooth University, and Rethink Ireland. Our partners are an invaluable support to us in the successful development of Aspire2.”

For further information on the Aspire2 programme, contact:

Janice McGarry, Aspire2 Manager, DPS Group

Email: janice.mcgarry@dpsgroupglobal.com

Mobile: 085-1810931