Leaving cert points of 65 did not deter Ballyfermot lecturer

BALLYFERMOT lecturer and Ms Offaly 2026, Cleo Knight, is sharing her campaign, Further Than You Think – Opening Doors.

Unlocking Potential. Inspiring Futures” to remind people that Leaving Certificate points do not define their potential.

Cleo is representing Offaly at the Ms Ireland final on October 3 and bringing with her a campaign closely connected to both her personal story and her career in education.

A lecturer at Ballyfermot College, Cleo left school with just 65 points in her Leaving Certificate but found an alternative pathway to education through Further Education.

This became the starting point for a journey that would eventually see her spend seven years in college, complete undergraduate and postgraduate studies, and build a career in education.

Cleo now wants to challenge the traditional perceptions of Further Education and highlight the opportunities available to people whose educational journey may not follow a conventional route.

“When I left school, my Leaving Certificate results could easily have made me believe that education wasn’t for me. Further Education changed the direction of my life. It gave me a door when I thought many of the other doors were closed,” she said.

“Today I get to lecture and support students in Dublin who are beginning their own journeys. Some are coming directly from school, some are mature learners and others are returning to education. I want them to understand that where you begin does not determine where you can finish.”

This campaign is particularly aimed at young people who may feel disappointed by Leaving Certificate results, adults considering returning to education, and anyone who has ever believed they are simply “not academic”.

Cleo believes the pageant platform provides an opportunity to bring that message to an entirely different audience.

“For me, taking part in Ms Ireland is about much more than wearing a sash or walking on a stage. I have been given a platform, and I want to use it to talk about something that genuinely changed my life.

“There isn’t just one successful route through education. Further Education can open doors to university, careers and opportunities that you may never have imagined when you started.”

While proudly representing Offaly on the Ms Ireland stage, her work in Dublin has become another important chapter in a story that began with being unsure about her own educational future.

Alongside her Further Than You Think campaign, Cleo has also been supporting Children’s Health Foundation Temple Street, organising toy donation initiatives as part of her pageant journey.