Pictured at the Eircom Spider awards was Laura Medveoca from St Micheals Community College, Kilmihil, Co Clare
Young coders were out in force at the Eircom Junior Spiders Awards in Dublin. Winners included reCharge My eCar from Niamh Scanlon of CoderDojo DCU and European Digital Girl of the Year Lauren Boyle.
This afternoon at Facebook’s Dublin offices some 21 winners received a prize during the ceremony, which was hosted by RTE’s Aidan Power and attended by dozens of schools from around the country.
The awards recognise and reward students aged four to 19 for the innovative ways they use the internet, especially around website coding, development and design.
For students aged four to 12 years, The Mega Spiders has three categories: Best Individual Project, Best Group Project and Creative Web Coding.
For those older than 12 years the awards are split across two categories, the Giga Spiders rewards those aged 13 to 15 years and the Tera Spiders are open to those aged 16 to 19 years.
Reflecting the changing trends in digital technology, several new categories were added this year, including Creative Web Coding, for those coding their website from scratch.
“The standard of entries was phenomenal this year, and it is really inspiring to see the enthusiasm, creativity and knowledge that these students possess,” said Lisa Comerford, consumer marketing director at Eircom.
Among the winners was 10-year-old Lauren Boyle, named European Digital Girl of the Year 2014. Boyle’s Cool Kids Studio, an initiative she coded herself that now spans three websites, has gained significant recognition in recent months, the culmination of which saw her head over to Rome to receive her latest illustrious award.
Lauren Boyle (10 years) will be the youngest keynote speaker at Silicon Republic’s international InspireFest 2015 event on 18 and 19 June, while Niamh Scanlon (12 years) will be one of the youngest mentors at the Inspirefest outreach morning, on Saturday 20 June, which will feature coding workshops and hardware hacks, as well as maker sessions.
RTE’s Aidan Power who was MC with from left students , Kieran Moroney , Jamie Mulqueen and Patrick Meanaey from St Micheals Community college Kilmihil Co Clare
This year’s winners were:
Mega Spiders
Best Individual Project: reCharge My eCar, CoderDojo DCU, Dublin
Best Group Project: Farm Safety 4 Kids, Cloghans Hill NS, Mayo
Creative Web Coding: Cool Kids Studio, Coderdojo, Dublin
Giga Spiders
Best Individual Project: CoderDojo Mallow, Davis College, Cork
Best Group Project: The Ukulele People, St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Mayo
Creative Web Coding: CoderDojo Mallow, Davis College, Cork
Best Concept: TheOral.ie, St.Michaels Community College, Clare
Best Web Design: CoderDojo Mallow, Davis College, Cork
Suíomh is Fearr: GaeilgeLeCheile, St.Michaels Community College, Clare
Tera Spiders
Best Group Project: Pres Rugby TV, Presentation College Bray, Wicklow
Creative Web Coding: Tracktion | F1 in Schools, Hex CNC, Roscommon
Best Individual Project: Historic Kilkenny, Kilkenny C.B.S., Kilkenny
Best Digitalised Game: Recineration, Patrician High School, Monaghan
Best mobilized App: SpotGet, Patrician High School, Monaghan
Best Web Design: Debaroid, CBS Kilkenny, Kilkenny
Best Concept: Positivity Pack, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Limerick
Suiomh is Fearr: Na Geanmaireachtaí in Achadh Úr, Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Kilkenny
Best Transition year project: Smarticles, Loreto Secobdary School Balbriggan, Dublin
Grand prix
Mega Spiders Winner: reCharge My eCar, CoderDojo DCU, Dublin
Giga Spiders Winner: CoderDojo Mallow, Davis College, Cork
Tera Spiders Winner: Recineration, Patrician High School, Monaghan
Inspirefest 2015 is Silicon Republic’s unique international sci-tech event running 18-19 June in Dublin, connecting professionals passionate about the future of STEM with fresh perspectives on leadership, innovation and diversity. Buy your early bird tickets now! Get in early and grab the ‘Two-for-one’ tickets before the end of March. You don’t want to miss this!
