Nine Laois Offaly schools STEAM ahead to win prizes in tech competitions

The Portlaoise College Team receiving their three Meta Quest 3 V.R. headsets from Laois and Offaly County Councils for winning last year's LOETB S.T.E.A.M. Programme Minecraft Education competition.

placeholder image — The Portlaoise College Team receiving their three Meta Quest 3 V.R. headsets from Laois and Offaly County Councils for winning last year's LOETB S.T.E.A.M. Programme Minecraft Education competition.

Education programme by Laois Offaly Education & Training Board

Nine primary and secondary schools across Laois and Offaly have launched into year two of their special drive of STEAM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths.

Laois Offaly ETB has successfully launched the second year of the STEAM schools programme for 2024/25 at a special event held at Dunamase College.

Their nine schools include four in Laois: Clonaslee College, Dunamase College Coláiste Dhún Másc, Portlaoise College and St. Fergal's College, Rathdowney.

The programme has supplied over €90,000 worth of equipment and training to more than 30 teachers and 250 students across the nine schools.

Each school participates in competitions in Vex Robotics, First Lego League, Minecraft Education design, and Podcasting.

The students compete during lunch-time STEAM clubs in each school, facilitated by their teachers to work in teams to develop their respective competition entries, building up skills in creativity, team-work, project planning and problem solving.

Then they advance to competition finals, where the winners are showcased and rewarded at a special event, with the next one on April 10 2025.

Backed by Laois and Offaly County Councils, and new sponsor NIS, the prize fund for this year’s programme exceeds €10,000, including team prizes and STEAM equipment for the winning schools.

At the launch, a number of the winning schools from last year showed off their prizes including an iMac computer and video camera, won by Dunamase College; and a set of three Meta Quest VR headsets, won by Portlaoise College.

The Portlaoise College Team receiving their three Meta Quest 3 V.R. headsets from Laois and Offaly County Councils for winning last year's LOETB STEAM Programme Minecraft Education competition.

The programme adopts a team-based, project-focused learning approach. All nine of the LOETB schools compete in areas such as design, coding, robotics, and digital storytelling through Podcasting.

It was launched by LOETB Director of Schools, Linda Tynan.

Antoinette Brennan, Broadband Officer, Laois County Council and right: Director of Schools, Linda Tynan, who launched this year's programme

She said that the program has sparked "excitement and extraordinary creativity" among the many students involved. She particularly referenced the inspiring work on display at last year’s STEAM Showcase event.

This programme is a collaborative effort between LOETB and the Laois and Offaly County Councils.

Laois County Council Broadband Officer, Antoinette Brennan spoke at the launch and emphasized the programme’s role in helping students discover their talents. Offaly County Council’s Broadband Officer, Ray Bell, discussed the importance of such initiatives in equipping communities with essential digital skills.