PICTURES | Longford success at national Microsoft Dream Space Showcase

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Longford County Council has congratulated the local groups, Colmcille Broadband Connection Point (BCP), St Joseph's National School and Scoil Bhríde Glen, who won awards at the first ever national Microsoft Dream Space Showcase.

Prize winners from the inaugural Longford Microsoft Dream Space Showcase which was held in Edgeworthstown at the end of May, represented the county at this national event which took place at Microsoft Ireland’s campus in Leopardstown, Dublin on Friday, June 16. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO

Having already presented at the local Dream Space Showcase event, the Dublin event gave the primary school children and the local Our Kids Code clubs an exciting opportunity to present and showcase their micro:bit projects to an even wider audience.

The first-of-its-kind event saw 320 pupils from across counties Longford, Tipperary and Kildare travel to One Microsoft Place to showcase their Scince Technology Engineering Arts Maths (STEM)-based projects.

The innovative projects presented by the pupils addressed various challenges related to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include wearable tech for improving young people's wellbeing, inclusive and accessible voting systems, initiatives to clean the ocean and prevent illegal dumping, as well as measures to reduce water wastage and so much more.

On the day the students engaged in a wide range of activities including Minecraft Education Build Challenges, Badge Making, Music Making, Stem Sign Language. They also heard from speakers who shared their insights and experiences of working with Microsoft as well as having the opportunity to meet with Microsoft Ireland Site Lead and Vice President for Microsoft Global Operations Service Center, James O’Connor.

The Longford winners awarded prizes were:
* Scoil Bhríde, Glen was awarded the ‘Digital Creativity Award’,
* St Joseph’s National School was named ‘Longford’s Rural Future Champion’, and
* Colmcille BCP Our Kids Code Club won ‘Most Collaborative Project’

These groups saw off competition from schools and clubs across counties Tipperary, Longford and Kildare.

Cllr Paul Ross, on behalf of then Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Turlough McGovern, attended the event and extended his congratulations to all the schools, teachers and children involved. “The Longford primary schools and local Our Kids Code Clubs were exceptional on the day in how they presented their micro:bit projects and how they represented Longford.”

Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added, “A huge well done to all of the children who got to represent Longford on this new national stage.”

Longford County Council is committed to continuing the operation of these programmes under the Longford STEAM Programme uniting educational initiatives in the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

Schools and local coding clubs will be contacted in the coming months to engage with the next programme of activities.