THREE SCHOOLS FROM FINGAL SECURE SPOT AT STUDENT ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME NATIONAL FINALS
Nine budding teenage entrepreneurs have been selected to represent Fingal at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park. The young entrepreneurs will represent their Local Enterprise Office and their county at the Student Enterprise Programme showpiece on the 2nd of May.
Every September, entrepreneurial secondary school students across the country begin their business journey as they are encouraged to brainstorm, create and run their own businesses. In September 2017 over 23,000 students from 480 schools nationwide begun their entrepreneurial journey with the help of their teachers and their Local Enterprise Office (LEO).
The students were all competing at the Fingal Final on 22 March which was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Blanchardstown. An estimated 2500 students from 26 schools took part in the annual programme locally.
In the Junior Category, the students representing Fingal at the National Finals are Tegan Byrne and Zara Stafford of Barky Bandanas from Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan.
In the Intermediate Category, Sabin Ghet, Ben Purdy, Sam Doherty, Katie Farmer and Ella Anderson of Our Ball from Castleknock Community College will be representing the county in Croke Park.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Fingal will be represented on 2nd May by Sarah Oliver and Nathan Byrne of A Little Languages from Donabate, Community College.
Special guests at the Fingal Final included Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. Mary Mc Camley, Ed Hearne, Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism, Fingal County Council. Paddy Lavelle of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board, Garvan Callan, Bank of Ireland and Mercy Predergast of Blanchardstown Centre. The MC was broadcaster, Rick O'Shea.
Co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices in every Local Authority area, the competition is the most successful student enterprise programme of its kind in the country. Fingal continues to have the highest student entry every year. This year there were 2500 students from 26 schools.
The success of the Student Enterprise Programme is down to the entrepreneurial spirit of the students involved and Oisin Geoghegan, Head of Fingal Local Enterprise Office was quick to praise this year’s entrants. “Every year we are blown away by the ideas and the business savvy that these students have acquired at such a young age. They really are a credit to their teachers and school staff who have helped to nurture this talent. The Student Enterprise Programme is growing appeal every year and we hope to see many of these excellent young students coming through the door of their local LEO in the years to come. We wish today's winners all the very best as they go on to represent their county at the National Finals in Croke Park in May.”
Paul Reid, Chief Executive, Fingal County Council added "What they gain from this programme is an invaluable insight into the roots of business and a taste of experience in a safe environment. The lessons they learn on this programme will help set them on an entrepreneurial path from a young age.”
The local students will be competing with hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in Croke Park at the 16th Annual Student Enterprise Awards National Finals on May 2nd. The Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003 with over 150,000 students getting involved since its inception.
Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
The Local Enterprise Offices are co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.
