Newpark Comprehensive is Awarded a SciFest Gold STEM School Award
Congratulations to Newpark Comprehensive School, Blackrock on hosting the first SciFest@School fair of 2026 last Thursday, a fantastic achievement and a wonderful way to begin another SciFest year.
It was with great pleasure that Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO, presented a SciFest Gold STEM School Award to organising teacher Daniel Ludgate in recognition of the school having hosted 11 SciFest@School fairs. The first fair in Newpark took place in 2015 and apart from one unavoidable break in 2021 due to Covid the school has hosted the event every year since. What an achievement.
Well done to everyone involved last Thursday and to all the teachers who have organised and supported SciFest@School at Newpark over the years.
On Thursday, 8 January, a total of 170 first-year students presented 75 STEM projects to a panel of expert judges consisting of two SciFest representatives, three past pupils and members of the school's science department. There was a great buzz in the hall as other class groups visited the exhibition and students who were not being judged were kept fully engaged with a series of science quiz questions.
The standard of the projects was very high and included topics such as the environment, horticulture, forensic science, electricity and osmosis in onion cells.
The following prizes were awarded:
🏵️ SciFest Best Project Award: Eve and Szofia: “The Future of Forensic Science”.
🏵️ SciFest Runner-up Best Project Award: Amelia and Maria: “What Liquid Removes Stickers the Best?”.
🏵️ EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award: Nora, Rebecca and Caolan: “Differences in Water Quality in Our Local Beaches”.
🏵️ Keenova STEM Excellence Award: Juno and Ailish: “Does the Acidity of a Liquid Affect How Quickly a Tablet Dissolves?”.
🏵️ SciFest Chemistry Award: Camilia, Tomi and Caoimhe: “Sugar Crystals”.
🏵️ SciFest Biology Award: Lili, Dara and Li: “Effects of Different Solvents on Onion Cells”.
🏵️ SciFest Physics Award: Matthew and Inid: “What Liquid Conducts Electricity the Best?”.
Finally, a special 🏵️SciFest 20th Anniversary Award, representing the Spirit of SciFest, was presented to Antoni for his superb experiment grafting a white rose onto a red rose plant.
A truly inspiring SciFest@School event. Well done again to all involved.