Local students win enterprise award at National Final
15 years of student enterprise programme celebrated by Local Enterprise Offices in Croke Park
Teenage entrepreneurs from Cork City have won 2 awards at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals on May 03rd, organised by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) for secondary schools.
Sláinte na n-Óg from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown, won the 3rd prize in the senior category and also from Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, TY.ie won most interactive Business on Social Media, in front of more than 500 guests at the awards ceremony in Croke Park (on Wednesday, May 3rd).
The LEO-run Student Enterprise Programme started in 2003 and more than 150,000 secondary school students have taken part over the last fifteen years, researching and setting up their own businesses.
This year’s Student Enterprise Programme attracted 22,000 student participants from 620 secondary schools around the country. The year-long programme helps each student to gain the skills and practical knowledge of running a real-life business.
Congratulating this year’s winners and their schools, Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen said: “Entrepreneurship is the backbone of our economy, which is why this Student Enterprise Programme and Awards is so important. Getting students learning about enterprise and providing the opportunity for them to learn by doing, at an early age, lays the foundations for successful entrepreneurship in the future.
I want to pay tribute in particular to the Local Enterprise Offices and to the teachers and management of the participating schools right around the country who have delivered a very successful Programme and Awards for the 15th year running. I am greatly impressed and encouraged by the talent on show at the Student Enterprise Awards, and want to commend all of the students who have taken part in the Programme this year. I would encourage you to keep in touch with your Local Enterprise Office, who are on hand to help you grow your businesses. Heartiest congratulations to all the winners and I’ve no doubt that we are looking at some of Ireland’s leading business leaders of the future!”
A total of 200 teenage entrepreneurs, aged between 13 and 18 and from 77 different enterprises, competed at this year’s National Final, with every county and Local Enterprise Office represented.
Congratulating the local students on their awards win, Adrienne Rodgers, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office, Cork City said: “I want to commend the hard work and ingenuity of the winning students and the support they have received from teacher Anthony Malone and Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in supporting them through their participation in the Student Enterprise Progarmme.
She added: “2017 is an extra special year for Local Enterprise Offices, schools, teachers and students, as we celebrate fifteen successful years of the student enterprise programme in Ireland. As we look to the future, the curriculum in schools is changing with more of an emphasis on enterprise in the classroom. The Student Enterprise Programme is a natural fit for teachers with new resources and supports available to schools throughout the county.”
Thomas McEvoy, Head of Enterprise, LEO Louth delivered the opening address at this year’s ceremony on behalf of the network of Local Enterprise Offices. Some of the past Student Enterprise Award winners, including Luke Byrne of ‘Headphone Helpers’, Ciara Whooley of ‘Irish Baubles’ and Matthew Hewston of ‘Squeazy’ spoke about how the programme boosted their business skills.
Further awards were presented for intellectual property awareness by the Irish Patents Office and for social media by Essential French. Twenty students in the Senior category also win a place at the residential ‘Winners’ Business Bootcamp’ in UCC at the end of May, to help them further develop their business skills.
Further details about the next Student Enterprise Programme, which begins in September, are available through www.studententerprise.ie
ENDS
For all media requests, please contact your Local Enterprise Office, Cork City. info@leo.corkcity.ie / phone 021-4961828.
Judging Panels for Student Enterprise Programme National Final 2017
Junior Category
Caroline McHale (Professional Development Service for Teachers)
Fiona Donnelly (Management Consultant and Entrepreneur)
John Byrne (SAOL Mind Coaching)
Intermediate Category
Anthony Gregory (Elite Food Solutions)
John Russell (Russell & Co)
Ciara Clancy (Beats Medical – Winner of IBYE competition in March 2017)
Senior Category
Elaine Haugh (School Accounting)
Orla O’ Carroll (Orla O’ Carroll Ltd)
Blaine Doyle (GlowDX – Best Idea Category Winner, IBYE 2015)
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
2017 STUDENT ENTERPRISE PROGRAMME NATIONAL FINAL
SENIOR CATEGORY
- First Place: ROC Protection, Clonkeen College in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
- Second Place: J&S Kitchen Aid, Mercy Secondary School in Longford.
- Third Place: Sláinte na n-Óg, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Cork City.
- Innovation Award: Pablo Science & Engineering, Ardscoil Rís in Limerick.
- Best Display: Dunopoly, St. Mary’s College in Louth.
- Special Merit 1: Circulation Footstool Support, St. Joseph’s Secondary School in Kerry.
- Special Merit 2: Cattlestop, St. Gerald’s College in Mayo.
INTERMEDIATE CATEGORY
- First Place: Scott Engine Tables, Coláiste Chill Mhantain in Wicklow.
- Second Place: Pocketknow, Coláiste losaef in Limerick.
- Third Place: Grandparentsmemories.com, Killorglin Community College in Kerry.
- Innovation Award: Relay Smart, Athlone Community College in Westmeath.
- Best Display: Méabhla’s Fairy World, Scoil Mhuire in Clare.
- Special Merit: Make Every Step Count, Coláiste Ghlor na Mara in Fingal.
JUNIOR CATEGORY
- First Place: Daisy’s Pawesome Bowties, Our Lady’s Secondary School in Louth.
- Second Place: Simply Safer Scents, Ramsgrange Community School in Wexford.
- Third Place: Bin Belt, Moyne Community School in Longford
- Innovation Award: The Happy Homework Hut, Carrigallen Vocational School in Leitrim.
- Best Display: Changing Seasons, Royal School in Cavan.
- Special Merit: Bling My Bin, St. Patrick’s Classical School in Meath.
IP Awards (sponsored by the Patents Office)
Best IP Awareness Award, Junior Category: Barony Boxes, Our Lady’s Secondary School, Belmullet, Co Mayo.
Best IP Awareness Award, Intermediate Category: INSERT STRAINER, St Tiernan’s College, Crossmolina, Co Mayo.
Best IP Awareness Award, Senior Category: Fiacla Bán, St Clare’s College, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan.
Social Media Awards (sponsored by Essential French)
Most creative use of Social Media: Grandparents Memories, Killorglin Community College in Kerry.
Most effective Social Media Campaign: FCDM-busybags, St. Joseph’s Community College, Charlestown.
Most interactive Business on Social Media: TY.ie, Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Cork City.
