Ballymahon school takes top prize at Lego challenge regional finals in Athlone
TUS Athlone's Engineering and Informatics Building was buzzing with excitement in recent days as primary and second-level students geared up for a showdown at the FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge Regional Finals.
Students from 18 teams across five counties, including Our Lady's Bower and Coláiste Chiaráin in Athlone, took part in the day-long competition, battling it out for a coveted spot in the national final in Dublin next month.
'Team Garfield' from Mercy Secondary School Ballymahon scooped the top prize of 'Overall Champions', receiving a trophy crafted entirely from Lego.
'Team Lil Octaves' from Stokane National School in Sligo also qualified for the national decider.
The winners of the national event will go on to represent Ireland in the international tier of the global STEM competition in Morocco in May.
"Today's event isn't just about showcasing robotics and innovation. It's about unleashing the creative spirit and problem-solving skills of budding engineers," explained Dr Clodagh Reid, a lecturer in technology education at TUS Athlone who has been working with students since September, helping them design and build their robots.
In addition to applying maths and science principles to their robot design and build, participating students also had to present a special innovation project which looked at the use of technology for creativity, arts and communication.
"Through months of preparation and outreach, we've nurtured their enthusiasm for STEM, and today we witnessed it come to life in the arena as well as through their innovation project," Dr Reid continued.
As the competition kicked off, teams competed in a series of three Robot Games, pushing their creations to the limits in feats of strength, agility, and strategy; the stakes were high, but so was the camaraderie among participants, who embody core values of teamwork and inclusiveness.
"We've seen these students grow not just as engineers, but as collaborators and innovators," remarked Jane Burns, Director of Education & Public Engagement at TUS Athlone.
"Their journey from classroom to competition arena is a testament to the transformative power of STEM education."
Stokane National School from Sligo and three Westmeath schools: Dalystown National School, Mercy Secondary School Kilbeggan, and St Joseph's Rochfortbridge all won awards on the day, including best Robot Design, Core Values, Innovation, Rising Stars & Motivator awards.
The aim of the FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge is to promote science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), with students honing their problem-solving skills and fostering resilience as they navigate the twists and turns of the competition.