Drogheda Young Innovators(DYI) Competition Final
On Friday, 11th May, the Drogheda Young Innovators (DYI) Competition Final for secondary school students took place at Coca- Cola International Services offices in Southgate Shopping Centre. Twenty shortlisted projects from the original 44 applications, were reviewed in detail by the judges from CocaCola International Services, State Street, Fitz Scientific, The Mill Enterprise Hub, and Bricks4Kidz Louth. The overall winners were George O’Carroll and Hugo Collins, students at Drogheda Grammar School, who impressed judges with their social enterprise project, “Storyboard”.
Storyboards was created by George and Hugo as learning tools used to help people with autism deal with anxiety in everyday life. They list out the exact steps that are taken when performing everyday tasks or going to new places e.g. going to the barbers. These are currently freely available in the Arc cinema, Southgate Barbers, Drogheda Leisure Park, and in a few other places in Drogheda.
Prizes were also awarded in each of the three categories (Science/Technology, Business, and Social Enterprise) for both individual and team entries. This is the fifth year of the awards which focus on all aspects of Innovation, and has become an integral part of the local school curriculum.
According to Breanndán Casey, BDM of The Mill Enterprise, “This competition has gone from strength to strength each year, and with 44 applications, it’s fair to say that Innovation is alive and well in Drogheda. We work with our partners State Street, Coca- Cola International Services, East Coast Bakehouse, Bricks4Kidz, and Fitz Scientific to visit all nine schools in the region to highlight the innovation that is currently occurring locally, and to ensure that students have an opportunity to flex their creative muscles”.
Alison Cowzer of East Coat Bakehouse was one of the judges, and commented “I am extremely impressed by the innovation on display today across all three categories, and some of the applicants would not be out of place on Dragons’ Den. Based on the level of innovation
displayed, Drogheda’s future is very bright”. Alison also told the students to put aside the question of what they want to be in the future, and focus on what they enjoy doing and what they are good at – by doing so, they will truly excel in their future careers and entrepreneurial endeavours.
Organised by a voluntary group of local business people, teachers, and The Mill Enterprise Hub, the competition challenges Drogheda’s students to think about an innovating career in science, social enterprise, or business.
The 2018 winners who received their certificates and cash prizes included:
* “Storyboard” – Overall winner of DYI 2018, Drogheda Grammar School (George O’Carroll, Hugo Collins)
* “Makes Cents Prepaid Card” – Business Group Category, Sacred Heart
* “Handii”– Business Group Category, St Mary’s Diocesan School
* “Ovea Soap” – Business Group Category, Our Lady’s College, Greenhills
* “Get a girl through a day” – Social Enterprise Group Category, Our Lady’s College, Greenhills
* “Hele-Shaw Cell Experiment” – Science Individual Category, Our Lady’s College, Greenhills (Sorcha McGeown).
The TY students at Drogheda Grammar School will also receive a workshop from Bricks4Kidz, focusing on STEM using LEGO as a fun and practical way of learning.
“It was great to have the diverse range of ideas this year, and more importantly, to see how the students have worked on their ideas over the past three months”, said Anna Keller of Coca- Cola International Services, “We also had 80 students attend a Workshop at The Mill in April which gave students an opportunity to work on their projects and receive real feedback from students and judges”.
“We expect at least 1 in 10 of Drogheda’s students will be running their own business when they finish education” says Geoff Fitzpatrick of Fitz Scientific. He continued “The applicants have already displayed great initiative and innovation, and the DYI project gives them a fantastic opportunity to work on ideas and interact with like-minded students and entrepreneurs.”
LOCAL SCHOOLS were awarded the prestigious Green Flag from An Taisce for their work on the Green-Schools programme at the ceremonies held in CityNorth. Now in its 21st year in Ireland, the GreenSchools programme awarded flags to 968 schools across Ireland this month.
Energy ; Redeemer Boys’ N.S Ard Easmuinn Dundalk 1st Renewal , St. Ita’s Special School Crushrod Avenue Drogheda 1st Renewal
Water , Sacred Heart School Sunnyside Drogheda 2nd Renewal , St Oliver’s N.S Ballymakenny road Drogheda 2nd Renewal
Travel ; Ballapousta N.S Smarmore Ardee 3rd Renewal , St Finian’s N.S Dillonstown Dunleer 3rd Renewal , St. John’s N.S Rathmullen park Marleys Lane Drogheda 3rd Renewal , St. Mary’s Diocesan School Beamore Road Drogheda 3rd Renewal , St.Mary’s Parish Primary School Bryanstown Drogheda 3rd Renewal
Biodiversity ; Callystown National School Clogherhead 4th Renewal , St. Mochta’s N.S Louth Village Dundalk 4th Renewal.
GC Litter and Waste ; SN Muire gan Smál Cartown Sandpit Cartown Termonfeckin 5th Renewal.
GC Energy ; Monastery School Ardee 8th Renewal, Scoil San Nioclás Stabannon Castlebellingham 6th Renewal , St. Brigid’s Junior School Bothar Brugha Drogheda 8th Renewal , St. Patrick’s School Bothar Brugha Drogheda 8th Renewal.
GC Marine ; Scoil Mhuire na Trocaire Hale Street Ardee 9th Renewal.