April 22nd is ‘Judgement Day’ for student entrepreneurs from Leitrim as they prepare to travel to Croke Park to represent their schools at the Student Enterprise Awards National Finals (#studententerprise).
Co-ordinated in the region by the Local Enterprise Office Leitrim,the competition is largest programme of its kind in the country involving 17,000 students nationally from 370 secondary schools
Representing every county in Ireland, 300 students have now won a place at the National Finals for their enterprise and the students representing the region in Croke Park on April 22nd are “Aquabell” and “Look to Cook” from St. Clare’s Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton (Senior and Intermediate) and “Pickwicks” from Drumshanbo Vocational School (Junior).
Damien English T.D., the Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Skills, Research and Innovation, is the guest speaker at the awards ceremony and will be presenting prizes across Junior, Intermediate and Senior Categories.
Speaking ahead of the students’ trip to Croke Park, the Head of Enterprise for Local Enterprise Office Leitrim, Joe Lowe wished them all well, saying: “Since last September, budding entrepreneurs from schools all over the county have been researching and running their own enterprises, learning about business in the real-world. The teachers, students and schools participating in the Student Enterprise Awards deserve huge recognition for what they have achieved and the Local Enterprise Office is proud to support them all the way to ‘National Final Day’ in Croke Park on April 22nd.”
The judging panels have also been confirmed and the Junior Category judges are: Caroline McHale (Professional Development Service for Teachers), Orla O’ Carroll (Orla O’ Carroll Ltd) and Pádraig McDermott (formerly of Mayo County Enterprise Board).
The Intermediate Category judges this year are: Ger Enright (former Chair of the Student Enterprise Awards Organising Committee and Waterford County Enterprise Board), Anthony Gregory (Elite Food Solutions) and Mary Keane (LEADER Programme).
The three Senior Category judges for 2015 are: Fiona Donnelly (Management Consultant and Entrepreneur), Úna Curley Keegan (Business Matters) and Eamon Keane (Xpreso Software and winner of ‘Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ for 2014).
In addition to the three main categories, there will be ‘Intellectual Property Awareness’ awards presented by the Irish Patents Office and ‘Social Media’ awards presented by Essential French.
Teachersand principals are being encouraged to contact their Local Enterprise Office, to find out about the 2015/2016 Student Enterprise Awards Programme. Further information and updates around Student Enterprise Awards (#studententerprise) is available through www.studententerprise.ie, which also has free resources and video tutorials.
