Davitt College students recognised at BT Young Scientist Awards

THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE Pictured at the RDS Primary Science Fair were Caoilinn Walsh and Rosie Walsh from Lehinch NS, Lissatava, Hollymount and their project ‘What effects do worms have on vegetative growth?’ Pic: Orla Murray/ Ark Photography

Ciara Galvin

THREE Davitt College students were recognised for their efforts at this year’s BT Young Scientist Awards.
The awards, which took place in the RDS attracted students from 550 secondary schools around the country and saw Maeve Walsh, Clodagh Hegarty and Aoife Parsons from Davitt College be ‘highly commended’ for their project,
The students’ project entitled ‘If breast is best, why isn’t it the norm?’ was highly commended by judges at the annual event which attracts up to 60,000 visitors across the three day exhibition.
The project investigates why the numbers of breastfeeding mothers in Ireland are so low and how to make it more accessible to mothers who would have liked to breastfeed but felt they couldn’t.
After gathering more than 800 questionnaires, the three transition year students identified factors that contribute to numbers of breast feeding mothers being so low, including lack of knowledge being given in hospitals, no demonstrations at ante-natal classes and breastfeeding mothers feeling that they are not being welcomed into restaurants.
Since undertaking the survey the students have since approached restaurants in Castlebar to put up notices to welcomes breastfeeding mothers.
A leaflet containing all local breastfeeding support groups, advice and tips from experienced breastfeeding mothers for inexperienced breastfeeding mothers have been distributed to Mayo University Hospital by the group.
Meanwhile, several schools from Mayo attended the RDS Primary Science Fair at the weekend in Dublin with other schools from the county set to attend the second event in Limerick this weekend.
Among projects which will be exhibited include ‘What effects do worms have on vegetative growth?’ by students at Lehinch NS, Lissatava; ‘Do different bird feeders attract different types of bird?’ from Newport NS and ‘Does water source affect rate of grass growth?’ from Killasser NS.
Other schools exhibiting are Carramore NS, St Attracta’s NS, Lowpark, Charlestown and  Knockrooskey NS.
St John’s NS, The Neale will be exhibiting their project in the RDS Primary Science Fair Limerick this weekend with their project ‘How big is a drop of water?’.