KWETB Integration Newsletter May Edition | Page 10

KWETB

KWETB Success at the BT Young Scientist
& Technology Exhibition 2014

Phthalates in EC certified and noncertified loom
bands. They found that all certified loom bands
tested came back with very low levels of phthalates.
These results were welcomed as by law EC
certification means that loom band products must
have less the 0.1% phthalate concentration present.
However, alarmingly 67% of non-certified loom
bands tested came back with moderate to high
levels of phthalate concentrations. The girls, who
were delighted to take home a highly commended
prize, will continue to develop their research
assisted by their teacher Michelle Finnegan.
The participants were all most enthusiastic in
acknowledging that the experience had been
worthwhile and a real boost to their confidence.
The excitement of presenting their projects to the
judges, coupled with media attention was a just
reward for staff and students for the many hours
they spent in their Science laboratories bring their
projects to fruition. These young media moguls
featured on a variety of television programmes,
including RTE News. Radio stations across the
country, including Today FM, Newstalk, Drivetime
and South East Radio, interviewed the students. The

Vada Tobin and Katie Twoomey with
their highly commended award for their
project entitled: “An investigation into the
concentration of phthalates in EC and non EC
certified loom bands”

print media also expressed interested in
the entries from KWETB, with photos in
the Irish Independent and The Farmers
Journal . All in a day’s work for these
budding young scientists!

“Already there are rumblings
in the Science corridors of
plans and possibilities for
next year’s competition!”

10

February 2015