Bridge building test at big science and tech day in Offaly school

FIFTH and Sixth Class pupils from the schools around Tullamore are being invited to an action-packed day at Colaiste Choilm for the STEMulate Your Mind: Build A Bridge Competition.

STEMulate Your Mind is an exciting STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) initiative designed to spark creativity, teamwork, and engineering thinking among young learners.

Each school is encouraged to host their own internal competition and select one team to represent them in the local finals, which will be held in Coláiste Choilm on Friday, October 3.

The hosts say the final event will be a celebration of STEM, featuring the bridge-building final challenge and additional fun STEM activities.

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Lunch will be provided for all visiting pupils.

The organisers hope the day will inspire the next generation of engineers and problem solvers.

Among the attractions on the day will be a drone display, rocket launches and robotics demonstrations.

For the key bridge building challenge, participants will be permitted to use five sheets each of A4 and A5 paper, two metres of string and a roll of masking tape.

Competitors will be in teams of four and will have one hour to build the bridge. The bridge cannot be stuck to its base nor can it have any supports between its end piers.

First prize will go to the bridge with the longest span and those taking part are advised to practise in the run-up to October 3.