Kinsale Students Set To Represent Ireland

Kinsale Students Set To Represent Ireland

Writes JJ Hurley

Eight students from Kinsale Community School will be flying the flag for Ireland at a major robotic competition (VEX robotics) in Louisville, Kentucky, USA – over the coming week.

The transition year students, from the local institute of learning, qualified for the world class event following a dazzling display of their technology skills at CIT back in January, which included the pupils picking up an Excellence Award for the coding used in their software to operate the robot.

Since qualifying for the international student competition, Ms. Niamh Hay, who is the Transition Year Co-Ordinator at the school, said: “The boys have been working flat-out to redesign their entry for the upcoming competition, as they face into some stiff opposition from their competitors from all over the globe.”

Describing the experience from an educational point of view as being hands on, involving real maths, real engineering and real IT, Ms. Hay added: “The guys have had a massive learning experience and the teamwork involved has included blood, sweat and at times tears – they deserve huge credit for their efforts.”

While the students have had to contend with preparing for the final shakedown, Ms Hay has been left to deal with a logistical nightmare of crossing to the other side of the Atlantic, to say little of the huge expense incurred.

While the school’s principal Fergal McCarthy has dug deep into already stretched resources, parents, local businesses and organisations have made significant contributions to ensure the students can participate in the once in a lifetime event.

However, with a significant shortfall left in the school’s resources as a result, a gofundme campaign has been launched to help make up the deficit.

Anyone who would like to make a contribution can log onto: www.gofundme.com/kcs-robotics-world-competition-fund

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