Primary school students honoured at Enterprise Awards ceremony

Primary school students honoured at Enterprise Awards ceremony

Students from primary school around the county were honoured for their enterprise skills at a recent ceremony in the County Library Tallaght.

Close to 50 primary school children accompanied by their teachers attended the Bí Gnóthach Awards Presentations 2016 - an enterprise education initiative of the Local Enterprise Office South Dublin.

2016 marks the 11th Anniversary of the Primary School Enterprise programme in the county which this year, saw 29 schools taking part representing approximately 950 students. Since the programme started in 2005, a whopping 11,000 primary school students have been introduced to enterprise education in the county, studying what makes a business succeed, generating winning ideas, carrying out market research, raising finance & producing goods and services. Many schools have participated in the programme every year since its inception demonstrating the strong entrepreneurial ethos underpinning these schools.

This year’s cohort of entrepreneurs set up a range of viable business projects including food products and services, attractive recycled and upcycled craft products, Entertainment & Leisure services, horticultural goods, seasonal decorations and more.

Participating schools submitted colourful posters, materials and samples depicting their efforts as well as enterprise diaries recording their market research, sales and finances. Samples of this work has been on display in the County Library Tallaght for the month of June.

Students usually opt to donate profits to charities of their choice or / and their own school. This year many charities benefitted from the students largesse

Speaking at the Awards, Head of Local Enterprise Colm Ward said of the students;

The real heroes are you, the teachers, principals and the students who grasped the programme and showed your entrepreneurial spirit inside and outside the classroom

Among the 10 finalists selected for awards this year were Scoil Íde Clondalkin, St Mary’s N.S. Rowlagh, St Mark’s S.N.S. Tallaght, St. Ronan’s N.S., Scoil Treasa Firhouse, Scoil Chaitlin Maude Tallaght, St Thomas’ SNS Jobstown, St Bernadette’s Quarryvale, Edmonstown N.S. and Ballyroan B.N.S.

Roll of Honour

Overall Enterprising School of the Year 2016 went to Scoil Treasa and their business Too Hot to Handle; Scoil Treasa showed excellent organisation and teamwork to bring all the elements of their business together. They identified their unique selling point by making personalised mugs, they used the school website to advertise their products and found tips on YouTube on how to make their mugs last even longer! Through all this they managed to raise over €1100 to give to Focus Ireland.

Sales Awards went to the hard selling students of St. Mark’s S.N.S. and their business Crazy Chains, selling quirky personalised keyrings.

Eco Business Award was won by St Thomas’ S.N.S. for their innovative use of recycled materials to create money and pencil holders, holding true to the adage of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ Marketing Award went to Ballyroan B.N.S. with their business Centenary Candles – Tri-colour scented candles marking the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Award went to Scoil Íde Clondalkin, where students made keyrings and bookmarks for sale. They used local businesses to support them to great effect over the course of this programme.

Special Merit Awards – went to St. Bernadettes N.S. Quarryvale with their business Blooming Love; St Mary’s National School Rowlagh with their Bake Sale, : St Ronan’s N.S. with their business Books and Toys for Girls and Boys: Scoil Chaitlin Maude with their School Branded Pens and Pencils business; Edmonstown B.N.S. with their business Lucky Smiles.

View Winners 2016 Gallery

Scoil Treasa - news

Overall winners 2016 pictured above (L-R) Emily Kelly, Mia Hayes, Conor Murray, Sophie McGovern, Rebecca Hynes, Aimee Proctor (Teacher)