All smiles for Cloughfin students who were recognised for their deep engagement with STEM.
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, announced that 20 primary schools in Donegal will be awarded the 2023 Curious Minds Award, celebrating primary schools across Ireland that have adopted innovative approaches to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) learning and engagement.
The Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) programme, run in conjunction with the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO), aims to increase interest in STEM among primary school students, parents, and teachers nationwide in a fun and interactive way.
The awards were granted for a wide range of innovative and engaging STEM activities from investigating renewable energy, growing vegetables, mini-beast hunts, learning about materials and maths through baking, design and make challenges, marble runs, enhancing their technology skills through coding, and using STEM to solve everyday problems.
Primary Schools received awards in three categories: The Silver Award, recognising schools entering for the first time; the Gold Award, for schools further along their STEM journey; and the Platinum Award, for schools who have achieved previous awards and want to integrate STEM into the community further.
This year, 16 Donegal schools received the Gold Award and four received the Silver Award.
Commenting on the awards, Professor Philip Nolan, Director General of Science Foundation Ireland said, “It is extremely positive to see so many primary schools in Donegal taking part, and I congratulate all the teachers, schools and parents for their commitment to STEM.”
Registration for the next Academic Year SFI Curious Minds Awards will open in September 2023. Registration for Summer courses and CPD courses for 2023/2024 are open now.
l For more information about the SFI Curious Minds programme, the Awards, CPD, and inquiry-based resources please visit www.curiousminds.ie or contact the team on curiousminds@sfi.ie
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