PICTURES | Robotics competition awards for two Longford schools

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Longford Town’s St Mel’s College and Mean Scoil Mhuire have taken home three awards at the Junior Cycle VEX IQ Robotics Competition.  

The event, which took place in St Mel’s College, saw teams of students travel from all over Longford and even Donegal.

Participating schools put forward teams of students - ranging from first year to Junior Cert - to take part and build a robot from a VEX IQ kit. The robot has to be designed and built to carry out the tasks of this year's game ‘Mix and Match’ with the aim being that students and teachers both learn about robot building, engineering, coding while improving their robot design throughout the process. 

On the day of the competition itself, teams had to strategise and compete in real-time all under the pressure of the countdown clock.  

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A total of ten teams from eight schools participated. From Longford, the participating schools were St Mel’s College, Meán Scoil Mhuire, Moyne Community College, Cnoc Mhuire Granard, and Ardscoil Phádraig Granard. St Finian’s College in Mullingar, Marist College in Athlone, and Holy Family NS Donegal also took part. 

The Excellence Award was won by the students of St Mel’s College while Scoil Mhuire took home a double with the Design Award in addition to the Teamwork Champions title alongside St Finian’s Mullingar.

The Robot Skills Champion Award was won by Marist College Athlone while the Judges Award went to Donegal’s Holy Family NS.

VEX IQ is a STEM program organised by Longford’s County Council’s IT Department designed to enhance students’ digital skills, foster engagement in STEM education and encourage greater participation in subjects such as design, science, coding and ICT skills. 

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Speaking about the event, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Garry Murtagh said, “To continue to compete in a fast-paced industry, Longford needs people with these valuable skills. Events such as the VEX IQ will develop and make Longford students more skilled, more sustainable and better equipped to enrich life in our communities and help retain rural populations.”

The day’s activities, which were supported by Christine Collins (Broadband Officer, Longford County Council), Siobhán Grealy (STEM Engagement Officer, Longford County Council), and all the staff from The IT Department in Longford County Council, were a huge success with four teams now having secured places in the Nationals which are set to take place in MTU Cork this Wednesday, February 25.

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