By Claire Corrigan
There was celebrations at Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar, as three of the students celebrated receiving prizes at the 56th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, at the finals in the RDS Dublin last Friday.
Sixth year student Ruairi Fagan took second place in the Technology Senior Individual category for his project CommunicAID: A mobile application to assist in the virtualisation of the medical sector and streamlining of patient specialist relations.
“It aims to improve communication between patients and doctors and provides a number of tools to simplify patients day-to-day lives. I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2015 so that was one of the main driving factors – my own experience with waiting list times. It’s also a lot more relevant in recent times with Covid-19 and the increased demand to move online.” he explained to Topic.
“We’ve a great STEM team in school headed by Eva Acton – she is a fantastic teacher and really provides great support and drive. She has grown the STEM team since I was in first year. The numbers have really grown since then and it’s just a great community in the school.”
Ruairi said he is hoping to study Computer Science in UCD or Trinity on leaving Colaiste Mhuire. “I think since working on this project for BT since TY, would really have been when I started to explore Computer Science and decided that that was what I wanted to do. There are a huge number of different clubs and groups in the school for whatever students may be interested in and the STEM team have been hugely helpful in helping me find what I’m interested in. There is a very special community in CBS and Ms. Acton is hugely instrumental in that as are many other teachers.”
Always enthusiastic science teacher Ms. Acton also spoke to Topic this week. “We were absolutely delighted with them and with this year, and the challenges that Covid brought with it, for them to stick with it and bring their projects and show that determination, I was just so proud. As we weren’t sure with Covid, how things would work, we heard that BT had gone virtual, the boys wanted to take part and keep going so we were thrilled with that. There was a great response in the school and across the country – the virtual event went really well for BT.”
Meanwhile, second year students Killian McGrath and Evan McGreal received a Highly Commended award in the Technology, Junior Group category for their project title: P.A.S.S.T – Pedestrian Alert Safety System for Trams.
“Our STEM has grown and is now quite a large team within the school and we have a lot of teachers involved. There is huge support from the school for the STEM team. They all collaborate and help each other and work together on these projects,” Ms. Acton continued.
“I’m just so proud of those boys for their determination because they actually initially submitted those projects before- Ruairi in 2019 and Killian and Evan last year. They took those projects and have been working on them ever since and have taken them from really rudimentary, basic projects into the projects they showcased last week at BT and to show that determination and grit for such young people, my mind is blown. I’m so proud of them to stick with it and keep those projects going.”
Principal Malachy Flanagan also spoke of how he was very proud of the boys for their determination. “We are proud of them all, in particular Ruairi, as it is his final year at the school and he has put such work in over the past five years. He has also been a great mentor and support to the younger boys coming through in the STEM team.”
CASTLEPOLLARD SUCCESS
Meanwhile, Patrick D’Arcy, from Castlepollard Community College, took home third place in the Technology Individual category for his project The Wide Awake, an alarm which complements a fire alarm in the home to aid waking children and aiding swift evacuation in the case of a fire.
Read more about Patrick’s project on page 32.
