Little Treats Wins Big At National Student Enterprise Awards

Little Treats Schools final

Second Year students from St. Brogan's College, Bandon claimed second place in the Intermediate Category of this year's National Student Enterprise Awards which were held on Wednesday last, April 22nd in Croke Park. This is the first year that students from West Cork entered the Intermediate category which is open to second and third year students.

The two member team of Julia Chromick and Lucy Hayes set up their business "Little Treats" as part of the competition which saw them create a range of artisan sweet treats. The Bandon duo beat off stiff competition from over 20 other teams in their category from all over the country who qualified in their region to represent their Enterprise Board.

Co-ordinated by all 31 Local Enterprise Offices across Ireland, the 13th Annual Student Enterprise Awards National Final in Croke Park saw 300 student entrepreneurs showcase 74 different businesses, across Junior, Intermediate and Senior Categories.  17,000 students from 370 schools take part in the programme every year. Through their involvement, students learned important business skills, gaining real-world experience and developing their commercial instincts.

Speaking of the award, Michael Hanley, Head of Enterprise with the LEO, said “We are delighted for these young Bandon students who represented their school and the West Cork region so well in Dublin last week. This is the third such national award received by students from West Cork in the past five years which is no mean feat and certainly bodes well for the future of entrepreneurship in the region. I would also like to commend and thank Ms. Rachel Shaughnessy and the staff at St. Brogan's for their dedication to the students in the run up to the finals. Our senior finalists from Bantry, "Scents of Home" are also to be commended for doing West Cork proud in their respective category and I wish them continued success in their fledgling business."

Also speaking of the final event, Christine Duggan, Schools Programme Co-Ordinator for West Cork said “It has been a pleasure to work with all the participating West Cork schools throughout the year and although it is wonderful to take a major prize at the finals it is the new lessons that the students have learned that makes the Student Enterprise programme so special. It is fantastic to see the rise in confidence of the students who take on the programme and I have no doubt this will stand to them long in to the future."

Schools who are interested in participating in the 2015/2016 programme which will commence again in September can make contact with the West Cork LEO.