Pupils from Arles National School (NS), Co. Laois, have been awarded Engineers Ireland’s STEPS Young Engineers Award for their ‘Smart Windmill’ project, which aims to help livestock farmers harness clean wind energy to heat water – making their daily work easier.
The ‘Windtastic Windmills’ team comprised: Rosie Rogers, Patrick O’Neill, Beckie Kennedy, Rían Murphy and Grace Kelly from third and fourth class. They came up with their winning project idea having noticed the amount of work their parents and local farmers have to do on livestock farms.
‘Smart Windmill’
The Arles N.S. team set about developing a ‘Smart Windmill’ to heat water using green energy, to help give farmers quick access to hot water to generate heat for heat mats, needed by newborn piglets, and for the sterilisation of milking machines and bulk tanks.
By creating an efficient and sustainable hot water system, the pupils said that their innovation will give farmers more free time.
“Our project took us about three or four weeks to design, build and test. We had to change some of the materials in our prototype because they didn’t work with the water but we kept trying and finally got the formula right.”
The Arles NS students faced stiff competition from 169 schools from across Ireland. Over 600 projects were submitted to this year’s STEPS Young Engineers Award which is coordinated by Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme, funded by Science Foundation Ireland; the Department of Education and Skills; and industry leaders ARUP, ESB, Intel and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
The judges said that the Arles NS project was a well thought-through solution to a problem that directly affected the pupils’ community and their family lives. The project, they said, showed all the aspects of great engineering from conception to completion.
The pupils produced a clear engineering design drawing and identified challenges like choosing materials, and produced an exceptional prototype of their solution, the adjudicators said.
The engineering report showed that the Windtastic Windmills team had excellent engineering aptitude at a young age.
Principal of Arles NS, Annette Fitzpatrick, said: “Arles NS is a rural school and we are very proud to be a small school with big achievements.”
Winning the STEPS Young Engineer award for a second consecutive year is, she said, a testament to the profound importance placed on STEM education in the school.
“We recognise that the skills the children develop from a STEM education extend far beyond the classroom.
“We have a strong culture of fostering scientific thinking and exploration in Arles NS. Our teachers strive to provide creative learning opportunities which encourage children to work collaboratively, to become problem-solvers and critical thinkers. In essence we are educating the innovators of tomorrow.
“Working on the STEPS Young Engineers Award enabled the children to think of innovative ways to find solutions to problems in their local community and allowed us, as educators, to see the locality through the eyes of a child.
“It was a wonderful experience for the whole school community to be involved in this national project. We look forward to many further successful years of inspiring the young accomplished engineers of Arles NS,” she said.
STEPS Young Engineers Award
Now in its third year, the nationwide primary school competition encourages third and fourth class pupils and their teachers to explore the world of engineering by developing an engineering project that would help to improve their local community.
Last year, pupils from Ms. Holohan’s class developed an accessible and inclusive playground.
Every project team was recognised at the virtual awards ceremony on Engineers Ireland’s website and YouTube Channel, which included an engineering spectacular show by Mark Langtry, head of science and sport at Explorium, Ireland’s national sport and science centre.
Also recognised at the virtual awards ceremony was Aidan Kenny, aged two, from Creagh, Ballinasloe. Aidan, who is facing a difficult illness, was honoured with an individual STEPS Young Engineers Award in recognition of his curious mind and bravery.
Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, said that a high calibre of entries was submitted by third and fourth class pupils for this year’s STEPS Young Engineers Award.
“We were so pleased to see such a high level of creative and innovative projects. It is my hope that each of the students who participated in this year’s STEPS Young Engineers Award thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
“I hope they will be encouraged to continue their exploration of the exciting world of engineering into the future and explore the limitless opportunities a career in the engineering sector can offer.”
The director general also extended congratulations to Aidan Kenny and his family on his achievement of an individual STEPS Young Engineers Award.
She praised all the volunteer engineers who visited schools virtually to assist students with their projects. “At Engineers Ireland, our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organisation, and we are incredibly grateful to our volunteer engineers who visited schools to help students with their projects.”
Caroline also paid tribute to the volunteers from Bristol-Myers Squibb; Intel; Tandem and Jacobs Engineering who assisted with the judging process.
Margie McCarthy, head of education and public engagement at Science Foundation Ireland, congratulated all the third and fourth class pupils, teachers and volunteers who participated in this year’s STEPS Young Engineers Award competition.
“Today’s primary school students will soon become tomorrow’s innovative leaders, creative thinkers, and problem solvers.
“We are proud to support this award as it strives to empower students to create solutions for their local community by exploring STEM subjects and using their creative and critical thinking skills,” she concluded.