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School wins big at prestigious awards

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Pictured (left) are Aimee Russell and Lisa Patterson from Ballyclare High School who won the Irish Science Teachers special award for their project “Music through aluminium foil in a magnetic field” at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2012

BALLYCLARE High School was celebrating this week, after pupils gained top accolades at the annual BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
Two projects entered by pupils earned top awards, including best project in Northern Ireland, beating off stiff competition from 30 Northern Ireland finalists.
Meg McWhirter and Rebekah McNeill received the University of Ulster Northern Ireland Special Award, for their project, an investigation into finding an alternative to petroleum based inks to prevent food contamination from packaging.
The project was entered in the biological and ecological category junior section and was also crowned the best project in Northern Ireland.
Lisa Patterson and Aimee Russell were also recognised for their project, Music through aluminium foil in a magnetic field.
The project was highly commended in the Irish Science Teachers Association Special Award.
Speaking to the Gazette, Meg McWhirter said: "In March last year a scientist in Switzerland called Konni Grobb started experimenting on cereal packaging and how the mineral oil in it can penetrate through the bag and contaminate the cereal.
“The BBC started to run a programme on this topic, which is when we got the idea to investigate this project further."
Rebekah McNeill added: "It was a great privilege to be asked to bring our project down to Dublin, as only a few projects are picked.
“It was an experience that we will never forget.
“To win any kind of award is an achievement, but to win such an award as this is a great achievement and accomplishment."
The live finals took place in Dublin this month, with the coveted top prize BT Young Scientist of the year going to Eric Doyle and Mark Kelly, from Synge Street CBS, Dublin, for their project entitled, Simulation accuracy in the gravitational many-body problem.
Mrs Craig, teacher at Ballyclare High, said: "I am extremely proud of both groups' success at the competition.
“There were 1,743 entries of which only 550 qualified to get through to the finals in Dublin, so that in itself was an achievement.
“For the school to then win two special awards, including best project in Northern Ireland, was a tremendous achievement.
“Both groups worked really hard on their projects and to gain recognition for that was amazing."
Colm O'Neill, CEO, BT Ireland, said: "The passion and enthusiasm we have seen from the students taking part the exhibition last week has been outstanding.
“This year's exhibition was bigger and better than ever before and the reaction from the students, teachers and visitors to the RDS was amazing.
“Huge congratulations to all the winners. I look forward to watching their progress in the coming years."

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