TRALEE school students were among the prizewinners in the SciFest@IT Tralee 2017 event in the college yesterday.
Around 200 post-primary school students from schools all over Kerry were taking science to the next level with over 90 projects at the exhibition with the top prize on the day going to Jack Nagle from Killorglin Community College for his project, Tractor Safe Lock.
SciFest is an initiative which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second-level students. The winners from each of the 16 regional science fairs go on to compete at a national final in November 2017.
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Demonstrating his winning project Jack Nagle said: “My research found farmers are not pulling their handbrakes when they leave their tractors. This has caused many deaths all over Ireland. My device automatically engages the handbrake when the operator exists the tractor. This stops the tractor from rolling and crushing the farmer under the wheel of his tractor. There is nothing to buy on the market similar to my device and I feel it is vital considering the amount of deaths that have been caused by these type of accidents.”
A Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí student was the runner-up for the main prize for her project on ‘The Farmers Tan – Is It More Than Skin Deep?’. Laura Ní Eidhin was investigating the effects of the sun on farmers health and how they need to take greater care when working in the fine weather.
Mercy Mounthawk had 17 projects entered in the competition this year and they won three awards on the day. The large participation is down to an initiative at the school.
“There is greater interest now in science at the school,” said physics teacher Eimear Nolan. “More students are taking part in the Science Club at lunchtimes on a Friday. There’s great kids involved in it and they are really enjoying the subject,” she said.
Winner from the school were the Chemistry Award for Jessica Moynihan for her project ‘Roundup? – Friend Or Foe’; the Intel Award (Best Physical Science or Technology Project) to Olivia Moriarty and Tamila Khussainova for ‘Physics 101’ and the 10th Anniversary Award to Ellen Gercik and Clodagh Gaynor for ‘Milking The Truth’.
The other winners were;
ISTA Award (Best project in Junior category) – Jessica Galvin, Emily Jouen, Saoirse Curran of Coláiste na Sceilge for ‘Three Second Theory’
Maths in Science Award – Órlaith Reynolds, Cadhla Pigott of The Intermediate School Killorglin for An Investigation into the Effect the Lunar Cycle has on Students’ Behaviour’
Space Award – Alec Mulcahy, Asher Grant of Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine for ‘Sugar Rush’
Newstalk Best Communicator Award – Lorraine O’Sullivan of Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine for ‘Why breast is always best?’
Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award – Timothy McGrath of Killorglin Community College for Ultra Vision
Scroll down for loads of photos from the event…