Meán Scoil Mhuire students crowned Longford Tech Champions with innovative weather project

Karina Serkis and Ryal Diallo of Meán Scoil Mhuire were recently chosen as the Longford Post Primary Tech Champions of 2023.

The Meán Scoil Mhuire students were among nearly thirty from around the county who were recognised for their technology work, at the first-ever Longford Post Primary Tech Awards.

The event took place at Áras an Chontae, Longford County Council on December 14 with students from Meán Scoil Mhuire, Ballymahon Vocational School and Templemichael College Longford demonstrating eleven projects, at a BT Young Scientist style-showcase, with tech industry giants on hand to view the work.

The awards night was attended and supported by Ericsson Ireland, Microsoft Ireland and Irish Public Bodies Insurance (IPB).

The initiative is part of an ongoing partnership by Longford County Council with industry and schools, towards achieving one of the key objectives of the Longford County Council Digital Strategy - helping the nine secondary schools in the county into a position where they can offer Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject.

The challenge was for fifth-year students to apply classroom Leaving Cert computer science learnings to relevant real-life uses here in County Longford as their projects.

The overall prize worth €1,500 for the Longford Post Primary Tech Champion team was sponsored by Irish Public Bodies Insurance. Karina Serkis and Ryal Diallo won €250 each and €1,000 for their school, Meán Scoil Mhuire.

Karina and Ryal’s project used open weather data for the country to produce a temperature and rainfall weather model for County Longford. It massively impressed judges on the night with adjudicators complimenting the innovative coding structure used by the students, describing the work as “far exceeding the criteria” and “demonstrating an advanced knowledge of programming.”

Leonardo Marchi and Leon Matthe, students from Templemichael College scooped the prestigious Microsoft Ireland Longford Award.

The impressive work from Nicholas Reinhardt and Cody Maher from Ballymahon Vocational School saw them bring home the innovation award.

Phoenix Nowell and Saidbh Nerney took more awards home to Meán Scoil Mhuire, scooping the much sought-after Ericsson Ireland Longford Award.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Colm Murray complimented the students, principals and teachers at all the participating schools. “Our local students are leading the way for a technology-enabled Longford, ready to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the rollout of the National Broadband Plan.”

Chief Executive Paddy Mahon echoed those sentiments, especially paying tribute to the teaching teams in the schools in Meán Scoil Mhuire, with principal Mairéad Lyons and Computer Science teacher Paddy McLoughlin, in Ballymahon VS with principal Mick O’Rourke and Computer Science teachers Owen Catterall and Noel Neary, and in Templemichael College Longford with principal Sorcha Nic Dhonnacha and Computer Science teacher Justin Quinn.

Mr Mahon said, “We can see how well prepared the students are for the opportunities that technology brings in our modern world. All the projects displayed show that these Longford students are excelling.”

The team of judges on the night included Michael Barrett, Microsoft Ireland; Barbara Quinn, Ericsson Ireland, Paul Hourican, Ericsson Ireland; Eilish Comerford, Scoil Bhríde Glen; Beatrice Shanley, St Joseph’s National School Longford; Rebecca Rushe, Ardscoil Phádraig Granard; Longford County Council Directors of Services Barbara Heslin and John McKeon; as well as Fema Flanagan, Marguerite Donohoe and Cian McGovern all also of Longford County Council Finance and IT Directorate.

Main Photo caption: Presentation to Longford Post Primary Tech Champions 2023 - 'KR': Alice Foley IPB, Marguerite Donohoe IT Section LCC, Paddy McLoughlin Computer Science Teacher Meán Scoil Mhuire, Paddy Mahon CE LCC, Karina Serkis, Meán Scoil Mhuire, Cathaoirleach Colm Murray and Cian McGovern IT section LCC