ABBEY GRAMMAR PUPILS PUT FINISHING TOUCHES TO THEIR PROJECTS FOR ESAT BT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION.

Students put finishing touches to their projects for ESAT

Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School, Newry Technology and Biology Departments are wished the best of luck by Mr. Dermot McGovern, Headmaster before they travel to the RDS, Dublin this week to compete in this years annual ESAT BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition. Included are pupils James McClean, Ryan Devlin, David McGovern, Vincent O’Rourke, Gavin Myers, Gerard McGarvey, John McAteer, Michael Stanyer, Rory O’Rorke, Ryan O’Hare, Sean Donnelly and Kevin O’Reilly. Staff that have assisted include Technology teachers Mr. Gerard Savage and Mr. Mark Rodgers, Sean Higgins (Technology technician) with Biology teachers Miss Deirdre Mulgrew and Mrs. Margaret Lane, Head of Biology. Missing from photo are pupils Keith Mooney and Darren Marshall. Staff unavailable is Mr. Tony Mooney, Head of Technology.

While most of the pupils at the Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School enjoyed their Christmas holidays at home, some however spent a lot of this time in either the school Technology workshop or Biology laboratory. 14 pupils spread across eight projects are putting the finishing touches to their practical work and displays as they get ready to face the judges at this years Esat/BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS, Dublin from the 11th - 15th January.

The Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition has this year received the highest number of entries in the competition’s 41 year history. A record total of 1,064 projects were submitted, up 22% on last year, with students hoping that they would be offered one of the coveted 480 places to exhibit their discoveries at the annual exhibition. With competition for places so tight, its quite a feat for the Abbey Grammar to have passed the preliminary judging stage with 7 projects in the Technology section and one project in the Biological and Ecological section.

In the Technology category the Abbey shall be displaying three projects in the Junior age group (open to 1st, 2nd and 3rd years). James McClean has designed ‘Natural Aid’. A device that assists pupils who suffer from bowel problems. As people sit on the toilet this device helps posture by raising the level of feet. Ryan Devlin’s project ‘Baby Water Safe Guard’ alerts parents when a child’s head goes below the water when the child is in the bath or the pool. The junior group project ‘Signal Express’ is an eyecatching display that models a school technology workshop and shows how a teacher can shut off power to the machines using a remote control. The three boys that shall be impressing the judges with this project are Darren Marshall, Keith Mooney and David McGovern.

The Technology Department have two projects in the Intermediate age group (open to 4th and 5th years). Vincent O’Rourke’s ‘Farm Alert’ project is an article of clothing that a child on a farmyard wears which transmits a radio signal to the operator of a moving vehicle to alert them that they are in close proximity and thus avoiding a serious accident. The Intermediate group project ‘Hotpot’ is an aid for the visually impaired person to indicate that something is cooked or reaching different temperature levels. This project has been designed and manufactured by Gavin Myers, Gerard McGarvey and John McAteer.

Another two Technology projects are being displayed in the Senior age group (open to lower and upper sixth year groups). Michael Stanyer’s ‘Forklift Load Differential Display’ is a sensing device that indicates if the load on the front of the forklift is balanced in dangerous situations. This will activate the intelligent counter balance system. ‘H2 Sensor’ a group project by Rory O’Rorke, Ryan O’Hare and Sean Donnelly is a device that senses the high levels of Hydrogen Sulphide gas in a slurry tank/cattle shed. It warns the farmer and extracts the gas.

The Biology Department have an interesting project in the Intermediate section. Kevin O’Reilly from Bessbrook has been looking at the feeding behaviour of the Fresh Water Shrimp ‘Gammaraus Pulex’. Kevin wished to find out why this species outnumbered the native species when it was introduced to Northern Ireland’s waters. In his research and investigation he found that their feeding behaviour was a significant factor in them being such a successful invader!