BTYSTE Success at Castleblayney College

Dear Parents, we are thrilled to share the outstanding achievements of our students at the recent BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE). Castleblayney College has once again demonstrated its commitment to fostering a culture of scientific inquiry and innovation.

Transition Year twins, Caoimhe and Hannah Quinn were awarded the prestigious Amgen Gold Partner Award with their project ‘Shading the Future – Analysing the Cellular and Genetic Responses of Cellulose and DNA to Ultraviolet Light’.  For their investigation the girls isolated cellulose from seaweed and tested it for its UV light blocking properties. The girls were put through their paces on four occasions by experts from the field of Biology and Ecology. Not only did they receive the coveted Amgen Gold Partner Award, but they also won the award for 1^st in the Intermediate Biological and Ecological category.

A huge congratulations also to 2^nd yr students Aoibhín McDonald, Rhiannon McMahon and Zyon Muringayi who were awarded a Highly Commended award for their project. This group performed an investigation on the very topical bird flu and the title of their project was ‘Bird Flu – Should we be worried or wing it?’ For this project, the girls had discovered through their research that bird flu was recently found in dairy cattle in Canada. They circulated a survey to farmers in the local area to see if they were familiar with this new development. They then performed a mathematical model based on a hypothetical farm consisting of 100 dairy cattle to analyse the transmission of the disease with biosecurity and without. They discovered through this model that biosecurity is the best at preventing the spread of infection.

 As the students return to class activity this week, there are already discussions on the development of their projects and other possibilities for scientific research and investigation in the future. The future is bright for STEM in Castleblayney College.

These recognitions reflect the rigorous academic environment at Castleblayney College, where students are encouraged to explore and expand their knowledge beyond the traditional curriculum. Participation in events like BTYSTE equips our students with critical thinking skills and a practical approach to problem-solving.

We believe that the early exposure to STEM disciplines is crucial in nurturing future innovators and leaders. At Castleblayney College, we are committed to providing our students with numerous opportunities to engage in STEM learning from a young age. We invite you to explore the possibilities that our school offers and encourage your children to partake in these enriching experiences. Together, we can lay a strong foundation for their future successes.