Clare Students Making it Happen with Inspiring Enterprises across Co. Clare

Local Enterprise Office Clare was delighted to host their annual Student Enterprise County Final at Treacy’s West County Hotel on Wednesday March 9th and Thursday March 10th. After two years of virtual events, students from across the county including schools from St. Joseph’s Secondary School Spanish Point, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla, St Michael’s Secondary School Kilmihil, St John Bosco Secondary School Kildysart, CBS Ennistymon, Ennistymon Community College, Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon, Coláiste Muire, Ennis, Rice College, St Patrick’s Comprehensive, Shannon and St. Anne’s Community College Kilalloe.

The programme which started in September 2021 when students began their new academic year were given the opportunity to take part in the Local Enterprise Office Clare’s Student Enterprise Programme. The programme is a national programme run by Local Enterprise Offices, and is Ireland’s largest student enterprise programme. This year the programme celebrates its 20^th year. An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to encourage entrepreneurship in secondary schools, the Student Enterprise Programme has seen over 300,000 secondary school students take part nationally since it first began and over 2002 taking part in County Clare. The programme gives students an opportunity to brainstorm ideas, develop products and services and learn how to market, promote and sell their products and services over the academic year. In February students submitted their business reports which were then circulated to local judges for review.

Junior category judges this year were local business owners, Laura Vaughan of Laura Vaughan Design Studio and Gift Store and Conor Harkin, owner of men’s retail store Truth, located on High Street, Ennis. Senior category judges were John Doyle, Area Sales Manager, Asset Finance for Bank of Ireland and Siobhan Mulcahy, Arts Officer for County Clare. Judges were presented with a difficult challenge in selecting winners across all categories and commended the capability and confidence of all students who took part at the County Final level.

Winner of County Clare Junior category for 2022 are BEA Scrubs of Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon. Winners for the County Clare Intermediate category for 2022 are Gorgeous Gifts and winners for the County Clare Senior category 2022 are Teen Stem Magazine, Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon. All teams will now represent County Clare for the next phase of the programme for 2022.

Cllr PJ Ryan, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, commented on the valuable contribution of teachers in this programme. Cllr Ryan said: “Projects like this require great work and effort and it is a credit to all the teachers and schools who have taken part and were here over the two days of the County Final.”

Padraic McElwee, Head of Local Enterprise Office Clare said “It is inspiring to see so many quality projects in what, has been, a challenging year for students and their teachers.  We are delighted to see the entrepreneurial spirit of these students and we look forward to seeing some of them developing into our entrepreneurs of the future”.

Other prizes included second and third prize across junior, intermediate and senior categories, Best Business Report, Best Commercial Potential, Best Innovation and Best Sales.

ENDS

Additional l information

Junior Category Awards

1^st Place- BEA Scrubs – Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

2^nd Place - Sensory Mindfulness Boxes - Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

3^rd Place - Keyring and Earrings – St Joseph’s Spanish Point

Best Business Poster – The Craft Co - Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Best Commercial Potential - The Bird Collection - Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Best innovation – Joyful Bauble - Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Best Sales – Kates Candle - Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Intermediate Category Awards

1^st Place – Gorgeous Gifts, St Joseph’s Spanish Point

2^nd Place – Emmas Art Studio, St Joseph’s Tulla

3^rd Place - Well Being Garden – St Joseph’s Spanish Point

Best Business Poster– Happy Wristles Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

Best Commercial Potential – Sleep Well Rice College

Best innovation – Crafty Hurleys St Annes Kilaloe

Best sales – Hello Cookie St Annes Kilaloe

Senior Category Awards

1^st Place - Teen Stem Magazine Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon

2^nd Place - Crafty Candles, St Patricks Comprehensive Shannon

3^rd Place - LK Candles, St Jospeh’s Spanish Point

Best Business Plan – Beauty and the Bag, Colaiste Muire

Best Commercial Potential – My Holiday Creations, St Patricks Comprehensive Shannon

Best innovation – A Musical Moment, St Annes Kilaloe

Best sales –EVS Christmas Crafts – Ennistymon Vocational School

Merit Award to DJA Enterprises St Joseph’s Spanish Point

  https://www.studententerprise.ie/