WELB Science & Technology Challenge organised in partnership with Sentinus

Caption: Pupils from Strabane PS and Donemana PS scooped the top award in the WELB Science and Technology Challenge final, along with three other schools, and will now go on to compete in the Seagate Young Innovators final in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast on 18 June 09. Front row (l-r) Jenna Mealiff, Robert Magee and Peter Holmes Strabane PS, Sarah McLaughlin, Andrew Austin and John Robinson. Back row (l-r) David Gamble Teacher Strabane PS, Conor McNelis Contracts Director PT McWilliams Ltd, Oonagh McNelis WELB Asst Advisory Officer and Carwin Guy Principal Donemana PS. 

Boys and girls from 16 primary schools in the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) area competed in this year’s WELB/Sentinus Science and Technology Challenge Final in the Technology Education Centre, recently. 

Themed in line with the International Year of Astronomy, pupils were told that astronauts had been working hard to repair some solar panels on the International Space Station, one of which had become stranded outside the craft.

The challenge in this year’s final was to design and construct a space craft with doors which can open and close remotely to allow the stranded astronaut to enter.  The doors were required to close when the astronaut was inside. The pupils, in teams of three, were provided with a limited range of raw materials and were given one and a half hours to complete the task.

Donemana PS scooped the top award for the second consecutive year. They will be joined by four other schools, Culmore PS Derry; Gibson PS Omagh; Good Shepherd PS Derry and Strabane PS, to compete in the Seagate Young Innovators final in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast, on 18 June 2009.

In presenting the awards, Conor McNelis, Contracts Director with local Civil Engineering Contracting firm PT McWilliams Ltd, paid tribute to all of the schools and pupils.  He said: “I can see from the creations today that the pupils have displayed tremendous ingenuity and creativity during the competition and have solved the challenge through a range of innovative and imaginative solutions.  In the day to day business of civil engineering pre-planning is a must as well as ongoing problem-solving, so it bodes well for the future of our economy to see first-hand the kinds of activities young people are given opportunities to engage in.”

He continued: “I am really impressed by the level of understanding of technology the boys and girls displayed.  I understand all of the pupils here have come through heats to reach the final of the competition, so you are all winners to get here today.”

The competition was organised by WELB and sponsored by Sentinus and P.T. McWilliams Ltd.

Caption: Gibson PS pupils Alison McFarland, Aimee Patterson and Callum Donald construct their space craft at the WELB's Science and Technology Challenge final. They went on to claim the top prize along with four other schools, who will all compete at the Seagate Young Innovators final in Belfast on 18 June 09.