Cabra students visit Brussels

TEN pupils from St Declan’s College in Cabra attended a major science conference in Brussels where they were reunited with a famous astronaut who visited the school earlier this year.

The local students and teacher Deirdre Coyle were at the European Union

‘Global Challenges, Global Collaboration’ conference in March at the invite of Dr Mae Jemison, the first black woman in space.

Dr Jemison extended the invite during a visit to St Declan’s back in January where she made a presentation on the importance of science to children.

While she was at the school Dr Jamison, who served six years as a NASA astronaut and flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, announced that the organisation Intelligence in Science wanted to bring 10 students from the school to the Brussels conference and the European Parliament.

Students interested in going then had to write an essay on space travel and authors of the 10 best entries were chosen for the trip.

The students and their teacher were greeted in Brussels by EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn’s cabinet member, David Harmon.

Mr Harmon and assistant to MEP Pat the Cope Gallagher, Eamonn Farrell, brought the pupils on an informative tour of the parliament building, explaining how and where things happened in the European Parliament.

“It was an experience of a lifetime for the young students from Cabra and one they shall doubtless never forget,

? said teacher Ms Coyle.