Notice for Third Year parents and students: The information meeting on the Transition Year programme is scheduled for Monday 15th January at 7pm,

We wish our participating students the very best of luck. After months of preparation they're set to fly the flag for Avondale.

Our First Year and TY students are looking forward to their visit to BTYSE in the RDS to support our seven exhibitors.
For anyone visiting please search for stands:
1706 - 6th Years Aoibheann Hayes and Hannah Kinsella

1.Autism! Sensory Overload
Aoibheann Hayes and Hannah Kinsella from Leaving Certificate
Abstract
This project is an investigation into how alternative therapies are used by students with autism to help them with the sensory issues they can encounter during a school day. Sensory issues can be distracting for students with autism and take them away from their learning. Sixth Year students Aoibheann Hayes and Hannah Kinsella carried out their research through qualitative interviews with students with autism to find out how therapies such as art, touch, music and sound help in daily school life. A qualitative study was selected as the preferred research model as the data is not easily coded or placed in graphs or tables, and interviews with the candidates yielded rich findings. The findings of the research suggest that music therapy is the most popular type of therapy used and favoured by students. One of the recommendations would be to allow students with autism to wear headphones in loud places such as the halls and canteens in schools. 
 
 

2300 - 5th Year Sean Byrne

2.Glogos

Sean Byrne Fifth Year
Abstract
Seán Byrne from Fifth Year has qualified for the BT Young Scientist three times to date.  Sean’s latest project is an investigation into different methods of making safety clothing ‘glow’ or emit its own light, to improve safety by making the wearer more visible. The main aims of his project were:
• To improve the safety of protective work wear (e.g. hi-vis jackets), and hi-vis clothing worn by cyclists and pedestrians.
• To design a circuit to make the clothing emit its own light.
• To compare the effectiveness of different light emitting materials, such as electroluminescence (EL), and fibre optic fabric, and strontium aluminate, which is a phosphor.
The methods used included:
• To investigate whether hi-vis jackets can be seen in low-light conditions.
• To design a circuit to make hi-vis clothing emit its own light.
• To compare the effectiveness of different light emitting materials, such as electroluminescence (EL), and fibre optic fabric, and phosphors.
Sean’s main findings include
•  that Hi-vis jackets are only visible when light is shining directly on them.
• By incorporating self-illuminating materials into the hi-vis jackets, visibility is significantly improved.
• Electroluminescent tape is more visible than fibre optic fabric, and strontium aluminate.
• Strontium aluminate is a low cost, energy saving phosphor, with high
• afterglow intensity.
 
 

2405 - 2nd Years Luke Doyle and Nathan Delamere
3..A Comparison of Predicted Weather Versus Actual Weather, Is There As Much of a Difference as People Think?
Luke Doyle and Nathan Delamere from Second Year
Abstract
Second Year students Luke Doyle and Nathan Delamere took the popular topic of the weather as their subject matter. Their project is an investigation into how predicted weather will compare with the actual weather. The hypothesis of this investigation is that there is a significant difference between predicted and actual weather.  To investigate this, the boys recorded weather data using the Met Éireann website, 3 days before, 2 days before, 1 day before and actual weather. The data was recorded in Microsoft Excel and to analyse it the boys used the ‘Conditional Formatting’ function to give a visual representation of the result. The acceptable range they chose for wind speed was ±5 km/hr and for temperature was ±1 °C. having completed their  statistical analysis of the data they found that the weather accuracy 3 days before for temperature is 84 % ( ± 1 °C) and 86 % (± 5km/hr) for wind prediction accuracy and this moves closer to 100 %.


4407 - 1st Years Alanna Delamere and Eric Murnane.

4. Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

Alanna Delamere and Eric Murnane First Year
Two First Year students Alanna Delamere and Eric Murnane have entered a project called 'Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks'. The premise is to investigate the idea of Neuroplasticity, the idea that the brain is capable of change even into maturity and old age. This has enormous implications for teaching as well as rehabilitative medicine, psychology and psychiatry.  The implications of an opportunity ‘to rewire' the brain of a dyslexic student or a student with ADHD could be life changing. In short, the theory is that carrying out certain activities changes neural pathways in the brain thus strengthening them.

Don't forget to look up our feeder schools in the Primary Schools section too.

A Wicklow Schools Cross Country Meet was held in St Gerard's, Bray on Tuesday 9th November.

A number of our students performed very well and won individual medals in their events.

We also won the Senior Boys Team Competition and came second in the First Year Girls Category.

Well done to everyone who participated in this event.

Plans are in place to make next week's Science Week most exciting.
There will be Whole school competitions for: Scientist of the day, scientific invention and photograph competitions,
A science movie will be shown at lunch time,
First years will enter a Poster competition & 'beat the teacher at science',

...

Second Years will be researching scientists who have made a significant contribution to Science and

Science week ISTA quiz is scheduled for third years.
All are welcome to Friday's astronomy club.