Secondary Schools receive financial boost from BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition

133 schools across Ireland supported by BT in 2016

BT Ireland today confirmed financial grants of more than €75,000 to secondary school students across Ireland that participated in this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE), one of the world’s largest and longest-running school STEM showcases. The company also reaffirmed its commitment to providing travel and accommodation grants for schools taking part in the 2017 exhibition, which closes for entries on September 28, 2016.

The grant scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to the growing number of schools travelling to Dublin each year to participate in the BTYSTE, ensuring that young people with a passion for science and technology have an equal opportunity to get involved, regardless of their geographical location. Schools that are located over 70km from the RDS, where the exhibition is held, are eligible to apply for a grant of €150 per individual entry or €300 for a group entry, up to a maximum of €1,500 per school. In 2016, BT provided more than €75,000 in grant funding to 133 schools across Ireland, bringing the total financial support since 2006 to almost €650,000.

Mari Cahalane, Head of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, said;

We are keenly aware of the financial pressures facing both schools and parents today. Our goal is to ensure that travel and accommodation expenses don’t stand in the way of budding entrepreneurs, scientists and technologists interested in showcasing their innovations. Over the last 50 years, BTYSTE has been a vital platform for Ireland’s most pioneering young people, allowing them to share the brilliance of their ideas, while building essential skills like entrepreneurship, R&D and teamwork, essential for success at third level and beyond.

 

The annual BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is organised by BT, one of Ireland’s leading communications services companies. The Exhibition will take place in the RDS, Dublin from January 11-14, 2017 and the closing date for entries is September 28, 2016. Entrants will have the chance to represent their local community, and compete to win more than 140 student, teacher and school awards, including cash prizes, international trips and the overall title of BT Young Scientist & Technologist(s) of the Year.

For more information on the exhibition and for details on how to enter, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com or follow the exhibition on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @BTYSTE.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Lydia Tierney, FleishmanHillard, + 353 85 7138810 or lydia.tierney@fleishmaneurope.com

About the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is much more than a competition – it is the experience of a lifetime for the students and teachers who take part. Designed to raise schools’ engagement in the critical subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), the Exhibition calls upon students aged 12-19 from all over the island of Ireland to showcase innovative science and technology projects to approx. 50,000 visitors each year. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is supported by a number of valued partners including the Department of Education & Skills, Analog Devices, Intel, and RTE. Learn more at www.btyoungscientist.com.