Belfast Boys Model School

A number of Year 10 students visited Stormont during the week, to meet and chat with Members of Parliament a. The students saw a number of the Chambers, met Dr. Ian Paisley, Catriona Ruane and others. The students had a fantastic time, with some reviews posted below.

Gareth
"The Belfast Boys' Model School is taking part in BBC School Report which gives teenagers of my age a chance to be real BBC reporters. A few of us were selected to do an interview with Northern Ireland's Sports Minister Edwin Poots. To help us with this, a reporter named Rosy Billingham came to our school and gave us some ideas about how to go about asking our questions. When the day came we were so excited.We had prepared our questions and we were ready for Stormont. Some of us were selected to film the interview and others asked the questions.We had to set up the angles for our shots and we had to make sure they were just right. Then we awaited the arrival of Edwin Poots! The interview went really well and we got to find out about the future of sport in Northern Ireland! "

Nevin
"When the chance came to go to Stormont to interview Edwin Poots, the Sports Minister for Northern Ireland, I grabbed it with both hands! We got to ask the Minister questions about the London Olympics and the proposed site for Northern Ireland's multi-sports stadium but that wasn't all. While we were there we met some important people. When we were waiting to go into the BBC studio we met the First Minister - Ian Paisley. He was really nice and he didn't hesitate when we asked him for a photograph! He was walking about with two bodyguards which made us all think twice but he was really very friendly and straightforward.

We also met the Education Minister Catriona Ruane. She was also very nice and very welcoming. When we asked her for a photograph she was happy to help and even took us up to her office to let us see where she worked. She had lots of art work, that children from all across Northern Ireland had given her, on the walls of her office and she was very keen to show us this!

The BBC had also oranised for us to have a tour of Stormont and later we went in to watch the politicians in the main chamber! That was a very scary thing to do. You weren't allowed to make any noise at all. When we got up there only five people were allowed in at one time! We waited patiently and then we were brought in. It was very quiet and cold. Mrs. Iris Robinson was talking about the smoking ban when we went in. I couldn't believe we were really watching laws being made at Stormont! Before we left, we had our photos taken on the steps of Stormont and our teacher took us home after an exciting and successful day! "