Young inventors from Loreto Grammar School have been rubbing shoulders with royalty as part of their prize for winning two of the major categories in this year’s TeenTech Awards.
The trio, who all live in Timperley, enjoyed a first class expenses paid trip to Buckingham Palace to talk to His Royal Highness Prince Andrew about their inventions. They also met the competition organiser Maggie Philbin and had a tour of the Royal Mews.
Winning in the Digital Skills category were Lucy O’Donnell, 15, and Josie Woolham, 15, who designed an online chemistry experiment website to allow schools without access to complex laboratory equipment and materials to create virtual experiments which demonstrate the appropriate chemical reactions.
Josie said: “The whole experience was surreal. Prince Andrew was very interested in everything we had to say and told us we are ambassadors for Britain, which really made us feel quite special.”
Lucy O’Donnell added: “We visited the Royal Mews, saw the ceremonial coaches and then went into the Palace for the reception. Prince Andrew told us we were the inventors of tomorrow and had an important role in Britain’s future. It was quite inspirational.”
Winning in the Wearable Technology category was 13-year-old Emma Doherty, who designed a set of photosensitive glasses to minimise the susceptibility epileptics have to seizure in bright light.
Emma said: “It was my first visit to Buckingham Palace and really quite scary but it was great fun and something I couldn’t wait to tell all my friends about,.”
School headteacher Jane Beever said: “The whole of Timperley and in particular St Hugh’s Catholic Primary, one of our partner Primary schools, must be very proud of these gifted young women who have the ear of the highest in the land and all are eager to make a significant contribution to the common good.
“Much praise must go to our STEM coordinator Elaine Manton, who was STEM teacher of the year last year and has done so much to give Loreto Grammar School a national profile in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.”
