Kinsale Community School continues long-standing success at BT Young Scientist Exhibition

Kinsale Community School continues long-standing success at BT Young Scientist Exhibition

Kinsale Community School holds its long-standing success at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition which was which was formally opened by President Michael D Higgins and held at the RDS from the 11th-14th January. KCS was awarded three Category 1st place Awards and four Highly Commended Awards. Now in its 59th year, the Exhibition showcased some of Ireland’s brightest young minds as they competed to take home the highly acclaimed BT Young Scientist & Technologist(s) titles. Huge success was already achieved at Kinsale Community School by qualifying a total of 14 projects for the exhibition which included 30 students representing the school.

1st Place Category Awards

At the awards ceremony held on Friday evening 1st place was awarded to the Kinsale Community School Projects in the following 3 categories:

1st Place-Award Title: 1st Junior Individual Project Category: Biological and Ecological was awarded to Elma Pallone. Project Title: Consuming Fish: The Carbon Footprint of Trawling.

1st Place- Award Title: 1st Junior Group. Project Category: Social & Behavioural Sciences was awarded to Jessica O’Keeffe, Martha O’Sullivan , Edel Ryle. Project Title: Imscrúdú ar nósanna athchúrsála cearta, ar dearcthaí daoine agus cloí leis na treoirlínte athchúrsála i measc an phobal i gcoitinne.

1st Place- Award Title: 1st Junior Individual. Project Category: Technology was awarded to Conan O’Brien with his project SteriAir – A portable UV sterilising breathing pack.

Highly Commended

Four other projects also achieved the hard won 'highly commended' award. This another huge achievement and it reflects the great work done by all the students that qualified projects for the exhibition and the special place that the BTYSE is held in the school.

Technology Project Category were KCS Students: Ronan Hawkins, Ian Cullinane, Mark O Driscoll with their project A C++ based AI to translate a live video input of Irish Sign Language to English text.

Technology Project Category was student Oscar Green with his project: An investigation into the impact of kinetic flooring as a renewable energy source in schools.

Biological & Ecological Category was awarded to student Paddy Canniffe and Ronan Moloney with their project titled “Evaluate the impact of feeding strategies on Friesian Bull Calf Growth”

Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences Category was awarded to Anthony Coughlan and Ellie Coughlan for the project “Sustainable Cleaning Detergent”

Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland said, ‘On behalf of the entire team at BT Ireland, I wish to thank each and every student who took part in this year’s exhibition for sharing your ideas with us. The past week has been truly inspiring, and I am in awe of your unique and individual talents. The level of creativity, innovation and research displayed over the last number of days has been nothing short of remarkable, and I am humbled and grateful to be a part of it. I would also like to extend my congratulations to all our winners, who join a special group of some of Ireland’s brightest minds. I have no doubt this is only the beginning of all the brilliant work you will go on to do. To all the teachers, parents, guardians and everyone who supported the students who entered on their journeys, I express my sincere thanks.”

Mari Cahalane, Head of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition said “Each and every student participating in the exhibition should be immensely proud of the quality of work they have produced this year.”

Kinsale Community School is very proud of its distinguished record in the BT Young Scientist Competition, having won the overall competition 3 times - making the secondary school Ireland's most successful school in the competition. Kinsale Community School attributes this success strongly on the emphasis it put on STEM as well as its excellent facilities. Young Scientist coordinator at Kinsale Community School, Shaun  Holly speaking of the achievements said, “I would like to congratulate all the students who qualified for the exhibition and in particular the prize winners.  I would also like to give a huge thanks also to the BTYS team in the school for the time given, parents and to all the mentors who have given so much to the students”.