Ballina students excel at major national competition
James Quinn, Owen Lewis, Daire Kilroy, Oisin Murphy, Oisín Martin and Cian O'Flynn all represented the Quay National School at the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge national finals in Maynooth University
Pupils from the Quay National School in Ballina have proven themselves to be among the brightest young problem-solvers in Ireland, securing top honours at the Bebras Computing Challenge National Finals. The event, held at Maynooth University on April 18th, saw two Ballina students reach the podium in a competition that tests the logical and analytical limits of thousands of students nationwide.
Following a school-wide participation of third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-class students in November, fourteen pupils from the Quay National School were invited to the prestigious national finals. The delegation included six pupils from the third and fourth-class category and eight from the fifth and sixth-class category.
There is huge delight in the school as fourth-class pupil Oisín Murphy was awarded first place nationally, with classmate Owen Lewis securing third place. Their success highlights the growing strength of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) nationally.
While many associate computers with coding, the Bebras Challenge - run by the Irish Computer Society (ICS) and the Bebras Foundation - focuses on 'Computational Thinking'. This is a problem-solving process that involves:
Decomposition: Breaking down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts.
Pattern Recognition: Identifying trends or similarities.
Abstraction: Focusing on the important information only.
Algorithmic Design: Creating step-by-step solutions.
Speaking at the event, Eljakim Schrijvers, a global leader in the Bebras international community, emphasised that these skills are not just for future software engineers but are essential "life skills" for the 21st century. He provided parents and teachers with an overview of how these challenges prepare children to navigate an increasingly digital world. Mr Schrijvers encouraged other primary and post-primary schools across Mayo and Ireland to sign up for future challenges to help foster these critical thinking skills in the next generation.
Seán Gallagher, Principal of the Quay National School, said: "We are incredibly proud of all fourteen participants who represented Quay National School so well in Maynooth. Seeing Oisín and Owen take home national prizes is a testament to the hard work of our students and teachers. More importantly, every student who took part has developed a new way of looking at problems, which will benefit them across all subjects."
