Limerick students prove early birds do catch the worm and catch out AI in Young Scientist projects

TY STUDENTS in Colaiste Iosaef, Kilmallock prove early birds do catch the worm with two Stripe Young Scientist projects - The Worm Academy and Examining AI Literacy in Schools.

The former by Liam Cronin, Zeina Mohammed, Cian O’Regan investigates the impact of vermicomposting (using worm solutions) on plant growth and environmental sustainability.  The school’s second entry is by Cathal Murphy, Cathal Parkinson, and Kellen O’Connor.

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Their objective is to determine if people can distinguish AI-generated text from human writing and if this skill can be improved through education.  

Principal Noel Kelly said the school is immensely proud of the six teenagers and all students who entered the competition.

Liam, Zeina and Cian established a worm academy facility to manage school food waste, paper, and cardboard sustainably. They conclude that vermicomposting could provide a financial "lifeline" to farmers by reducing the need for expensive fertilisers while protecting the environment for future generations.

Meanwhile, the two Cathals and Kellen conducted two surveys distributed to over 200 secondary schools in Ireland, gathering approximately 500 responses from students and teachers.

The project concludes that while people can generally differentiate between AI and human text slightly more often than not, these skills are significantly improved by education. The team emphasises that AI literacy will be an essential skill for the future.

The students wish to thank their families for all of their support, everyone who helped with their projects and a special mention for their teachers - Mr Kelleher and Ms Hickey - for their guidance and support.