Derryclough pupils enjoy trip to RDS National Science Fair

BY JACKIE KEOGH

‘HOW do wind turbines turn wind into electricity?’ It’s a good question and one that earned the students of Derryclough National School a place at the Primary Science Fair at the RDS in Dublin.

The Primary Science Fair – which is run in conjunction with the BT Young Scientists Exhibition – is designed to encourage and inspire primary school students, but places at the event are restricted to 120 schools nationwide.

Eight students from the fourth to sixth year classes at Derryclough made the journey to Dublin with their principal, Teresa Holland, as well as one parent with every child. It is only when they got to the Science Fair that the students learned that they would be meeting Liam Connellan, who is part of the Boston Irish American Partnership.

In January 2013, the Boston Irish American Partnership read a story about Derryclough National School online on southernstar.ie and made a generous donation to the school, and then repeated that generosity the following year.

This year, Derryclough – like 30 other rural schools – benefited from a donation provided by the Boston Irish American Partnership towards the cost of travelling to the Young Scientists.

School principal, Teresa Holland told The Southern Star: ‘There is always demand for places at the science fair, so there was huge excitement when the news came through in November that we had been offered a stand to display our project.’

The principal added: ‘The students’ project was well received. But that is not surprising considering it involved so much work and research. Parents and members of the wider school community willingly shared their time, skills and expertise, and helped the children to construct two working models of wind turbines.

‘The trip itself was hugely exciting, with an overnight stay in Dublin, because we had to have our stand set up at 9.30am on the Saturday. The day itself was a great experience – the children had to explain the project, demonstrate the models, and answer many questions from the public and the judges. And they were delighted to be presented with a trophy for having made it to the Science Fair.’

Liam Connellan from the Irish American Partnership and Eve Lalor from the Science Fair Team congratulate the students of Derryclough National School