Transitions Years qualify for Formula 1!! (December-2014)
St. Mary's School for Deaf Girls and St. Joseph's School for Deaf Boys Revs Up to Formula 1™ Challenge
Transition Years students from St. Mary's School for Deaf Girls and St. Joseph's School for Deaf Boys have engaged in cooperative and collaborative learning by participating in the Formula 1 in Schools Technology Challenge, powered in Ireland by Irish Computer Society. Two teams "DeaFurious" and "Shooting Shark" are undergoing some serious internal competition, as they both compete to get through to the qualifying round. There is great excitement in both schools as both teams have learnt that they got through the qualifying round after submitting an inspired five page plan on developing their ideas. The teams are required to make an aerodynamic model F1™ car which will be raced against other participating schools in the Regional Finals in March and National Final in April. The teams will receive a kit which includes balsa wood for making the model. Ongoing support will be offered and the school will be paired with a Formula 1 Make Centre i.e. a college or university with the necessary equipment for milling the models. This interaction with colleges will give students an introduction to Engineering, Science and Technology choices at third level. The colleges will offer their paired teams the opportunity to visit their facilities for design tutorials, to show models being made and cars being tested. All participating schools also get free computer design software with which to form their creation.
This is the sixth year for the competition to run in Ireland under the guidance of the Irish Computer Society (ICS) in partnership with SFI Discover. However this is the second time St.Mary's School for Deaf Girls has enter the competition but it is the first time they have collaborated with another school St.Joseph's School for Deaf Boys and the heat is on as both teams are striving to get through the regional finals in March.
Shauna Murphy of St.Mary's School for Deaf Girls and team DeaFurious explain why their school chose to enter F1 in Schools Challenge: "I find the project very interesting, I really like the way the team works together and learning new skills such as using Computer aided design (CAD), communications, and building our confidence ...."
Quote from one of the boys....................
Visit www.F1inSchools.ie for more information on the Challenge.
For further team information, contact: Shauna Murphy Marketing & Communicating Manager by email = deafuriousformula@gmail.com
The co-ordinating teachers are Maggie Owens and Flor O'Mahony St.Mary's School for Deaf Girls and St.Joseph's School for deaf boys
Extra Information which can be included in the Press Release
The F1 in Schools Challenge is an international competition which now attracts more
than 90,000 students across the world in a frenzied dash to design, build and ultimately
race model Formula 1 cars powered by compressed air.
The competition is open to secondary schools nationwide, to design and manufacture
model racing cars powered by compressed air. Each car measures about 25cms long.
Student teams will compete against each other in a National Championship to determine
the best-engineered and fastest car in Ireland.
The winning car will be judged on design, speed and the school team full project
presentation.
The overall winning team at the World Finals, due to be held in Autumn 2015, will receive
stunning prizes, including The Bernie Ecclestone Trophy and a three year full scholarship
to study Motorsport and Automotive Engineering at City University London. This seasons
winning team from Ireland will go to the World Finals in 2015, at a location yet to be
decided.F1 in Schools Challenge Marketing Guidelines 6
This exciting competition will expose students to 3D modelling, virtual wind tunnels,
graphic design, project management, fund raising, computer-aided manufacturing,
sponsorship and team work.
The Challenge was originally developed in the UK seven years ago and has spread to
schools in 34 different countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Korea,
Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, UAE, and the US.
