Local Enterprise Office Fingal have announced that teenage entrepreneurs from Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan and Mount Sackville will represent Fingal at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Thursday 9th May.
The students all took part in the Fingal Final on 14th March which was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown. An estimated 1500 students from 26 schools took part in the annual programme locally.
The enterprise education initiative, funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country, saw over 28,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2022 / 2023. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.
In the Junior Category, the students representing Fingal at the National Final are: Alex Daskalova, Tippi Walsh, Leonie Bueck, Yasmin Walsh, Jenni Anna Lanigan O’Keeffe from Bumblez at Loreto Secondary School Balbriggan.
In the Intermediate Category, Agata Dziuzanska, Kaili Guan, Kevin Yang from Crafty Trilogy at Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan will be representing the county at the Final.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Fingal will be represented on May 9th by Kate Lee, Orla McNulty Carys Walsh, Nicole McDonald from Sweet Scents at Mount Sackville.
Speaking at the county final, Oisín Geoghegan of Local Enterprise Office Fingal congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Fingal , with over 1500 students from 26 local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on the 9th May, and we will all hope to be there to support them. What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.
The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, taking place in the Mullingar Park Hotel on the 9th May.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 380,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business. The Student Enterprise Programme also has new range of online resources for 2023 / 2024 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
Ardgillan Community College
Belmayne Educate Together Secondary School
Castleknock Community College
Coláiste Choilm
Coláiste Ghlór Na Mara, Balbriggan
Coláiste na Tulchann
Coláiste Pobail Setanta
Coolmine Community School
Donabate Community College
Fingal Community College
Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School
Hartstown Community School
Loreto College, Swords
Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan
Lusk Community College
Luttrellstown Community College
Malahide Community School
New Cross College
Portmarnock Community School
Sutton Park School
Swords Community College
Names of winning enterprises
Junior Category Results
Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan - Bumblez
Teacher: Paula Gartland
Students: Alex Daskalova, Tippi Walsh, Leonie Bueck, Yasmin Walsh, Jenni Anna, Lanigan O’Keeffe
Intermediate Category Results
Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan - Crafty Trilogy
Teacher: Fiona Synott
Students: Agata Dziuzanska, Kaili Guan, Kexin Yang
Senior Category Results
Mount Sackville - Sweet Scents
Teacher: Olga Owens
Students: Kate Lee Orla McNulty Carys Walsh Nicole McDonald
About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)
The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 28,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2023/2024 National Final takes place on the 9th May.
Website: www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / Twitter: @StudentEntProg / Facebook: /studententerpriseprogramme / Instagram: /studententerpriseprogramme
