CONGRATULATIONS to five teams from three schools across the South East who have qualified for the Irish National Final of the #ThinkSmartCreateGreen University to Schools contest with EU-CONEXUS and South East Technological University ! 💚 🌲 🌊 🐟

🏞️ Team 1: ‘The Octonauts’ from St. Marys Academy CBS, Carlow are set on solving the problem of plastic waste in their labs and have been prototyping some very practical innovations!

🐛 Team 2: ‘The Worm Academy’ from Colaiste Iosaef, explored their local coastline and created a simple and very effective solution nurturing ecosystems to address erosion.

🚮 Team 3: St Marys Academy CBS, Carlow also brought a rubbish drive to the next level. ‘The Bin Men’ got their 3rd and 4th year students involved in a community-wide initiative highlighting the extent of waste generated and used art to emphasise the importance of re-using and re-manufacturing.

🌲 Team 4: ‘The Green Team’ from Ardscoil na Mara Tramore, Co Waterford have a very special community innovation which tackles mental health, social inclusion and environmental sustainability in very practical ways.

🖨️ Team 5: Using the 9 R framework, budding Chemical Engineers from ‘Legacy Technology’ in St Marys Academy CBS, Carlow have created a 21st century solution for the 21st century challenge of 3D printing waste.

Best of luck to all challengers. This years contest has attracted a very high standard of invention and innovation. Calmast STEM Engagement Centre are delighted to support schools to participate in this 5th edition contest. The National Final winners will go on to represent Ireland and #SETU in the online International Final on April 10th in University of Zadar.

Well done to all finalists