Sci-Fest

For the second year running Yeats College has received outstanding success at Sci- Fest. This competition, held annually provides a sterling opportunity for students to creatively engage with the sciences. Sci- fest is a series of one-day science fairs for second-level students. The regional finals were held on Thursday 14th of June at G.M.I.T. A SciFest fair consists of a competition and exhibition of projects, a prize-giving ceremony, and also include a selection of science talks, science demonstrations in the college laboratories.

For the second consecutive year Yeats College was the recipient of a prestigious award at the competition. 2014 saw the team of Katie Clark and Theo Colesky awarded the ESERO Discover Space Award. 2014 was also the year when the diligence and hard work of our Biology teacher Corinna Mahony was rewarded when she received the ESERO Discover Space Teacher Award.

The success of 2014 has been replicated this year with the outstanding success of our students. Eight students participated in the competition.Their hard work and dedication, and the unwavering guidance of their teacher created interesting and thought- provoking projects. Hassan Kahn and Fiachra O’ Cochlain produced a project that aimed to find new and unique solutions to the problems of pollution in today’s world. Annie Bradley positied the idea that Music holds the key to academic success. But, it was Conall McCabe’s remarkable project, Research into the Fundamental Principles of Chaos Theory and its Extent of Application in the Physical Sciences that received the top honour of the day; the SFI Discover Best Project Award. Conall’s innovation and depth of knowledge thoroughly impressed the judging panel. His project will now go forward to the national SciFest science fair for consideration in the All- Ireland final.

All of the students who participated in this year’s Sci- Fest distinguished themselves on the day. This competition was an excellent opportunity to further hone their interest in the sciences, but also an opportunity to build on their communication and inter-personal skills. This was a team effort under the expert guidance of their teacher and is a perfect example of the mantra; hard work does pay off in the end!