A team of bright sparks from Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Letterkenny has scored the opportunity of a lifetime at the VEX Robotics World Finals this May!
After being crowned All-Ireland Robot Skills Challenge Champions in Cork, seven Letterkenny pupils now go on to represent Ireland in Dallas, Texas.
VEX Robotics is the largest educational robotics competition in the world. This is the first time that Scoil Mhuire gan Smál has qualified for the world finals and they are calling on the local community to help them make the journey Stateside.
A fundraising campaign alongside an Easter draw are underway to raise €30,000 to fund the trip for the seven pupils.
The winning team, comprised of Oisín, Sianna, Ivanna, Hessa, Destiny, Mary, and Judy, all from 5th and 6th class, developed a remote controlled game with the help of teacher Mr Lorcan Heavey. In Texas, they will compete against 400 teams all over the world across three days of competitions.
Scoil Mhuire gan Smál VEX Robotics team: Back L-R: Judy, Mary, Cynthia, Hessa and Sianna
Front Row L-R: Ivanna, Destiny and Oisín
It will be a thrilling trip, and the entire school community, including IT co-ordinator Ann Gillespie and ATU Donegal computing lecturers John Conaghan and Gary Cullen, are rallying behind the team.
Deputy Principal Irene McFadden said: “We are excited and delighted to have a team from Scoil Mhuire gan Smál representing us on a world stage in the area of STEM and coding. It is a fantastic opportunity for them to represent not only their school but their county and country.”
There will be a series of fundraising opportunities to support Scoil Mhuire gan Smál and Scoil Taobhóig in the lead-up to May.
To sponsor the Scoil Mhuire gan Smál Robotics Team, simply click the donate button on https://hub.klubfunder.com/ScoilMhuireGanSmalNS/payit/donation/scoil-mhuire-gan-smal–letterkenny-vex-robotics-team-to-texas/detail
Direct donation details are also available on the link above.
Taobhóg National School in Cloghan has also secured a place in the world final and fundraising news is available from the Scoil Náisiúnta Taobhóige Parents Association page.
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