Gaeilge
Yvonne Higgins, Science teacher, Magh Ene College, Bundoran, was awarded the BT Educator of Excellence in the Biological and Ecological category at this year’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE). Over the past nine years, 44 projects from Magh Ene College have been accepted to exhibit at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS and 83 projects have exhibited at Scifest. In 2013, Magh Ene College was in the top five schools in the country for the number of projects accepted to present at the BTYSTE.
Ms. Higgins is the current chairperson of the Sligo branch of the Irish Science Teachers’ Association and the ISTA Junior Cycle Science Convenor. She is a past national chairperson of the ISTA. Her colleagues in the Science department in Magh Ene College, Mr. James Gilmartin and Ms. Michelle Donnelly are the current Treasurer and Secretary of the Sligo branch of the ISTA.
The school also took part in the Amgen Biotech experience this year in connection with UCD which offered students an opportunity to carry out DNA analysis in the school laboratory. Magh Ene College is one of the only schools outside County Dublin who have taken part in this initiative. The school also regularly invites guest speakers to present to their science students, including most recently Professor John Costello, Dean of Science in DCU. Further details of the promotion of STEM subjects in Magh Ene College can be viewed via the school science blog; maghsci.blogspot.ie, which is administered by Mr. James Gilmartin.