This article is from page 30 of the 2008-11-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 30 JPG
20 OF the 500 projects that have qualified for next January’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition have been submitted by secondary school students from Clare.
The 500 qualifiers were selected from a record entry of 1,616 projects submitted by 3,712 students from all 32 counties – including a 25 per cent increase in entries from Northern Ireland.
The exhibition has evolved through- out its 45 year history to become one of the largest events of its kind in the
world. Year on year there has been a steady surge in the number of en- tries; from 669 in 2001 to an over- whelming 1,616 this year marking an overall increase of 240 per cent.
The Clare entries are across all four categories and in all age groups. There are eleven from Mary Im- maculate Secondary School in Lis- doonvarna; two each from Kilrush Community School and St Anne’s Community College in Killaloe and one each from Ennis Community College, St Caimin’s Community School in Shannon, Scariff Commu- nity College; Meanscoil Na mBrai-
thre and Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon.
The overall winner(s) will receive a Waterford Crystal trophy together with a cheque for €5,000.
The winner will also have the op- portunity to represent Ireland in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in September 2009.
The BT Young Scientist and Tech- nology Exhibition aims to build in- genuity, creativity and excitement amongst students and to help them to understand the importance and rel- evance of the sciences in their eve- ryday lives, while fostering the very skills that are essential for building
a knowledge economy and the future prosperity of the island.
Speaking at the announcement, Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe TD, said it was vitally important that second level students are encouraged to study science sub- jects for the future development of the Irish economy and society as a whole.
“The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition provided the perfect opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills in a competi- tive environment and to become the innovators, researchers and entrepre-
neurs of tomorrow,” he said.
Commenting on the record number of entries, Chris Clark, CEO, BT said the event was providing a plat- form for students to express their in- genuity and build their skills through science, technology, engineering and mathematics as well as interacting with their peers and foster better re- lations through science
The BT Young Scientist & Tech- nology Exhibition will be held in the RDS, Dublin from January 6-10.
For more information on the exhi- bition, log onto www.btyoungscien- tist.com