The Bright Minds app entry from Castleisland Community College claimed first place in the national final of the Foróige Entrepreneurship Competition in 2022.
The app was designed by sixth year students; Shauna O’Keeffe and David Peskett during transition year.
As national finalists they worked with their business studies teacher Laura Leahy and a Foróige mentor, during fifth year, to formally transform their design into a service.
Representing Ireland in Austria
They will now represent Ireland in the annual Youth Start European Entrepreneurship Award 2023 at the competition in Kitzbühel, Austria over the coming weekend from September 23rd to 26th.
This app is aimed to solve classroom anxiety that arises from the fear of speaking in front of peers. “We have created a functioning mobile application that students and teachers will use with interactive buttons such as: slow down; repeat; I understand; I do not understand; I need help; I am finished, and I do not want to read,” said Shauna by way of explanation of the benefits of the app.
Non-English Speakers Enabled
“The teacher will receive a notification on their device, when the teacher sees the message there is an option to hide it off their screen. We also incorporated emoji images to enable non-English speaking students to communicate with the teacher,” said Shauna.
The app is available to download by emailing bright.mind.app.22@gmail.com or www.brightmindsapp.com for more information.
Principal Teresa Lonergan sends the best wishes of all at Castleisland Community College to Shauna and David and wishes them every success in Austria.
“What a fantastic experience for them both. The future is bright for these enterprising students,” said Ms. Lonergan.
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