Kildare Brownies help invent sustainable water solutions with Lego
(Main picture: Prosperous Brownies - Kate Hamill (8), Mary Cummins (8), Erin Nolan (9) pictured demonstrating their Lego model at the Irish Guides Innovatively Engaging with STEM (IGGIES) Expo in Dublin City University)
By Kim O'Leary
Girls from Celbridge and Prosperous were among two hundred members of Irish Girl Guides to come up with a selection of innovative water solutions using Lego, which they showcased at an expo in Dublin City University on 16 June 2018.
The Brownies (Brownies is the branch of Irish Girl Guides for 7-10 year olds), who worked in teams of four, spent five weeks researching the issue of water sustainability and exploring innovative ways to preserve water.
Each team designed, built and programmed an autonomous motorised Lego model incorporating a range of sensors and motors. Each team also designed a poster with diagrams of the solution(s) they had come up with, the feasibility of executing the project and details of the programme used. Each group of four girls also underwent an interview about their solution(s).
Their work culminated in the expo – similar to the BT Young Scientist Exhibition - where the girls displayed their projects and were on hand to explain to families, friends and visitors the creative solutions they had come up with.
Clodagh Carey (9) of Celbridge Brownies said: “We didn’t think Lego, robotics or engineering would be so much fun as boys usually do it, but we loved it!”
Elianna Clancy (10), also of Celbridge Brownies, said: “It was so much fun and we learnt loads from doing the IGGIES project. I am now thinking I might change what I want to do when I grow up and looking at being a technology engineer.”
Irish Girl Guides Chief Commissioner Helen Concannon said the organisation was delighted to undertake the project with Brownies from Kildare, Dublin and Wicklow and that they looked forward to rolling out the programme to members in other counties in the coming months.
“To kick off the project, 20 of our volunteer female leaders attended a one day training where they up-skilled and learned the technology themselves so they could impart it to the girls,” she said. “Already we have another 20 Leaders and 200 girls signed up to do a similar project in the autumn.
“Irish Girl Guides believes in challenging stereotypes and we have undertaken a number of initiatives in recent years to encourage our members to pursue STEM subjects in school and to consider pursuing careers in STEM.
“We are also committed to encouraging our girls to dream big and to take action to make a difference in their local communities and in the wider world. The IGGIES project is just one of a number of activities we are using to help our members learn about the Sustainable Development Goals and to explore ways in which they can help make the world a better place.”