Students from Limerick's Hazelwood College in Dromcollogher and Desmond College in Newcastlwest have taken a number of awards at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals. The Finals of the Local Enterprise Office initiative took place on Thursday last in Mullingar.
Supported by the Local Enterprise Office Limerick, Donal Bennis from Hazelwood College, with his product ‘Pole Plucker’, a device used to remove wooden fencing poles, won the inaugural Greg Fry ‘Shinning Star’ award. From Desmond College in Newcastlewest, Sea Tan Gone, an organic fake tan remover, run by students Caitlin McMahon, Kinga Tobianska and Pauline Varuyeva came in 3rd place in the Intermediate category. Also from Desmond College, Holly Quinn and Daniel Doherty with their enterprise, Grip Genie, an innovative device for helping open tins,cans & jars, took 2nd place prize in the junior category
The event was hosted by broadcasters Rick O’Shea and Louise Cantillon and they were joined during the ceremony by Peter Burke, T.D. Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as he announced the winners across the three main categories on the day.
There were 85 student businesses in contention across three main categories for the Final in what is Ireland’s largest entrepreneurship programme for second level students. The 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 30,000 students from 500 secondary schools across the country take part.
Mike O’Byrne, Business Advisor, LEO Limerick said;
"I am immensely proud of the three teams from Limerick secondary schools who have triumphed at the National Finals of the Student Enterprise Programme in Mullingar. Their hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit have truly paid off. These young entrepreneurs are a credit to themselves, their teachers, families, schools, and the entire enterprise community in Limerick. Their achievements are a shining example of what can be accomplished with passion and perseverance and I expect this won’t be the last we see of these budding entrepreneurs. Congratulations to all involved!"
The National Final students, who competed across three categories, Junior, Intermediate and Senior, were all attendance on the day exhibiting their businesses which were judged by a team of national businesses experts and mentors. Each student enterprise was challenged with creating, setting up and running their own business, which must show sales of their service or product. The judging panel included business owners and representatives from enterprise agencies and associated bodies.
The Student Enterprise Programme is open to students of all ages at secondary level, with three separate categories - Junior (1st year), Intermediate (2nd and 3rd year) and Senior (4th, 5th and 6th year, LVA, LCA and Youth Outreach).
The Student Enterprise Programme is funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland and delivered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities throughout the country. Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 450,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business.