A KILLARNEY secondary school student has been elected International Officer of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU).
Kacper Bogalecki, a fifth year student in St Brendan’s College, was elected at the annual assembly and will take up his role officially in July.
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is the national representative body for second-level student councils, with over 500 schools affiliated to the union nationally.
Since the onset of Covid-19 and its impact on the education system, the ISSU has sat on an advisory group of the Department of Education and Skills, representing students and cooperating with other stakeholders on issues such as the Junior Cert, the reopening of schools and the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Leaving Cert.
Kacper said he ran for the position because he wanted to help the students of Ireland to be represented at an international level.
“I believe that we have so much to learn from those around us and there is a great number of things which we could incorporate from abroad for our students at home,’ he said.
“I was also driven to run for this position due to my international background. I’m from Poland, and having been able to live in other European countries as well I felt like this position was suited to me and my experience”.
Kacper is currently serving his term as Kerry Regional Officer of the union and says that he is passionate about community involvement. He volunteers with the Order of Malta Ambulance Corps and is an active member of his local No Name Club.
Outside of his youth activism and volunteering, Kacper also likes to play tennis, debate and travel.
