The SciFest programme aims to encourage a love of science, technology and maths through active, collaborative, inquiry-based learning and to provide a forum for students at local, regional and national level to present and display their scientific investigations. All 1st year students participated in a Scifest event at the school on 3rd March. There was an atmosphere of fun, activity and engagement throughout the afternoon as students presented on their own or in groups their various investigations and Science based projects. Competition was fierce and 6 projects were selected from the 1st year Scifest at school exhibition to represent Borrisokane Community College at the Scifest at College exhibition in May. Judging on the day were Ms. Anne Lynch a representative from Scifest, Kathleen Mason retired Science teacher from St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe and Ms. Colette Burke retired Science teacher from Borrisokane Community College.
The winning team, Dylan Dockery, Cian White and Sean Willaims developed a tractor safety gate. Joint second prize was Kevin Noughnane, Cillian Bergin and Michael Hough created a recycled paper burning log and Laura Cleary with her project on slurry related deaths.
Three other projects selected which will also represent the school at the next stage of the competition included a project which was a comparative analysis of shop bought face masks as opposed to homemade face masks completed by Sophie Cleary. Another group Heather Cahill, Molly Ryan and Amy Clarke investigated how crystals grow on various surfaces. Bisandu Munasinghe completed an in depth analysis on composition of chewing gum.
