PICTURES: Kilkenny schools combine and inspire in spirited celebration of SciFest

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Kilkenny City Vocational School held its annual SciFest earlier this month, with Transition Year students leading the day from start to finish.

TY students showcased eight projects and spoke confidently to judges, staff and visitors, explaining what they investigated using the scientific method.

There was a great mix of topics on show. Projects explored everyday questions like how screens can affect sleep and mood, and how different toothpastes can impact bacterial growth.

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Students also tackled bigger issues, including research into data centres in Ireland and their resource usage, while others looked up and out with a project based on the stars.

Another group examined the experience of international students and how they settle into Irish schools and culture.

A visiting group of over 80 pupils from St Canice’s Co-Ed National School came along for the day.

The pupils viewed the displays, completed the SciFest Challenge, and got fully involved in the activities, with TY students acting as guides and mentors throughout.

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To round off the visit, and to keep the learning going in the same spirit as SciFest, the pupils also took part in a short TY Sports Leadership session linked to the day.

The lesson used sport statistics to show how maths and science comes into games, from measuring performance to making fair comparisons between players. It was a real-life link back to the kind of investigative thinking that SciFest is all about.

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Overall, it was a brilliant showcase of TY work and leadership, and a lively introduction to STEM for the St Canice’s pupils.