Intel Mini Scientist 2019
'Let's Look at Ammonia' was this year’s big winner at the Intel Mini Scientist Exhibition at Timahoe NS. The annual showcase which took place on Thursday 17th of October was another resounding success as the young scientists of Timahoe showcased their experiments, investigations and research. The event is a huge part of the Timahoe NS Calendar due to the enormous success enjoyed by the school in recent years. The school has won two All-Ireland finals as well as the runner up prizes for the past three years.
The overall winning project was about monitoring ammonia emissions in agriculture. The students are strong environmentalists and are keen to make a difference by educating farmers in how to reduce ammonia emissions.
The runner up prize went to 'Power Through Dance' a project that generated kinetic energy through a specifically designed dance push plate and an accompanying computer game designed on Scratch.
The standard of science project on view was incredibly high and reflected the enthusiasm for science that exists within the school. It was also clearly evident that these children have benefited from exposure to the exhibition over the past few years as the quality of visual presentation, oral delivery and all-round ingenuity was exceptional. The projects completed by 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th classes covered a broad range of topics including agriculture, food science, health and well-being, energy, forces, bacteria, space, technology and engineering.
Anne Tilson, the Intel judge was left with a major headache as she somehow had to pick a winner from what she described as “an astonishingly high standard of competition”. She praised the children for their projects that were "so polished, so diverse and so interesting". She noted how the experience would give the children "a great grounding for presenting in secondary school and college". She also praised the staff and said that the "care they show for each child is heart-warming" and that "the encouragement in helping with these projects is evidence of this".
Principal, Ann Bergin was delighted with the exhibition and described it as her "favourite day of the year!" She praised the parents' work and "remarkable support for this wonderful initiative". She also commended the students for their "enthusiasm, and commitment".
Have a look at the photographs below.