Four Year 11 pupils Ryan Cavanagh, Daniel Maguire, Christopher Archer, Rossa Devine accompanied by Mrs McAlinden attended the INVENT Student Competition Final at the Ulster University, York Street, on Thursday. The event is a competition to judge inventions that have been created by students in Northern Ireland. The boys joined a student audience to hear presentations from nine finalists who explained inventions that included a potential life-saving cardboard box, a ‘fuel and drive’ number plate recognition system for petrol stations, an app destined to revolutionise the loyalty card industry and another to enhance the quality of life of dementia suffers and their carers through the collation of bespoke memory triggers such as music, photos and news of bygone days. After the presentations pupils cast individual votes for the three companies they felt addressed the biggest issues in society, had the best potential for economic success and which should go on to the finals of the competition.

Overall our pupils were truly inspired by the ideas presented to them, thoroughly enjoyed the INVENT experience and were very grateful for the opportunity to be part of this competition.