Students place their skills under the microscope at Science Fair

The winning team with their project on Volcanoes.

Open to all Year Nines, the budding young scientists took part by working in teams during science class to investigate a topic of their choice, mindful that they would have their work put well and truly under the microscope by figures from the world of business and science.

Prior to the school’s second annual Science Fair on February 6, they had been given three weeks to carry out research, experiments and to report their findings on a poster to be presented by each group to the six-member panel of judges.

Making up the panel were - Dr S Doherty, Consultant Veterinarian and Director of Blackwater Consultancy; Mr C Press, retired Science Advisor for North Eastern Education and Library Board (NEELB); Mr J Shields, Science Technician; and, Mr C McConnell and Miss H Clements, both from AES Kilroot.

The winners of the science fair were chosen based on their scientific knowledge and skills, team work and creativity.

The winning group’s project (pictured), entitled “Volcanoes”, described how a real volcano occurs and what materials produce the best model volcanic eruption.

The runners’ up project, entitled “Bubblicious”, investigated what materials make the best bubbles.

Dr Doherty gave a special award for the best zoology based project to Year Nine students Lewis Jackson and Thomas Laverty for their project on Bird Migration.

Medals for individual merit were awarded to Year Nines - Mia Rooney, Dean Strong and Max Nesbitt, who won a medal for hisindividual merit due to his excellent presentation skills.