St Louis Quiz Masters raises £7,500 for new interactive SMART boards

Quiz Masters winners 'Legs Eleven' with Mrs O'Neill and Vincent Rainey

A packed room, fierce competition and a powerful show of community spirit have delivered a £7,500 boost for St Louis — funding that will soon translate directly into new interactive SMART boards in classrooms across the school.

The inaugural Quiz Masters fundraiser, organised by the Friends of St Louis, brought together parents, staff, past pupils and friends of the school for an evening that blended sharp trivia with sharper teamwork — all in support of enhancing teaching and learning.

The funds raised will go towards the purchase of new interactive SMART boards, modernising classroom technology and strengthening the learning experience for pupils. In an education landscape where digital tools increasingly shape how lessons are delivered, the impact of the fundraiser will be both immediate and long-lasting.

Lead sponsor, Asa McGillian and family, from Apeer

The school extended special thanks to lead sponsor Apeer, whose support played a key role in the event’s success.

Appreciation was also expressed to a wide range of local businesses and supporters who contributed prizes, refreshments and assistance, including Ace Fixings, Silka Windows, TST Group, Tughans, Eunan Kelly, Brendan Gribben, Tullyglass, Tesco and Premier Electrics.

The evening was hosted by quiz master and past pupil Vincent Rainey from www.vincentskitchenquiz.com, whose wit and energy kept the atmosphere lively throughout.

After several closely contested rounds, the competition proved so tight that a tie breaker was required to separate ‘Grainne and the Girls’ and ‘Legs Eleven’.

John Hart back in 2000, presented with SLG Quiz Masters Shield by Mr Hugh Mussen

Victory ultimately went to ‘Legs Eleven’, led by John Hart — himself a past pupil of St Louis and a member of the school’s victorious Irish News Quiz team in 2000.

Jacqui O’Neill, Principal of St Louis, said:

“We are absolutely delighted with the support shown by our school community and local businesses. Raising £7,500 is a tremendous achievement and will allow us to invest in new interactive technology that directly benefits our pupils’ learning experience.

“We are very grateful to all our sponsors, volunteers, participants and especially our quiz master Vincent for making the night such a success.”

Members of Friends of St Louis Committee

The Friends of St Louis has confirmed it is looking forward to hosting more community events in the future, continuing its work to support the school and enhance facilities for students.

For St Louis, the night proved that when community spirit meets a competitive edge, the real winners are the pupils who will soon benefit from improved classroom technology.