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CBS The Green students Olivier Lata and Stephen Turner with their prize.
STUDENTS from CBS The Green won a top prize at the County Final of the Kerry County Council Annual Student Enterprise Awards held on Friday at MTU Tralee.
The Boot Clinic, a company was set up by Oliver Lata and Stephen Turner, which restores old football boots, won the Senior Category.
Prizes were awarded at Junior, Intermediate and Senior level. The winners of the County Student Enterprise Awards in all categories will go forward to the National Finals to be held in Mullingar on 9 May 2024. The Student Enterprise Awards bring a taste of real life business to the classroom.
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Outstanding participation levels saw 25 mini-businesses being set up by over 12 second level school students involved in the competition.
The competition promotes business idea development, structure, sourcing of finance, marketing/sales and the presentation of a formal business plan.
The students progressed through the establishment of a mini company which trades over a period of months.
An exciting and rewarding programme, students get to experience the realities of entrepreneurship from developing a business idea to producing a product, researching the market, promoting the business, managing the books and generating profits.
The winners of the Intermediate Category were Léine Lúfar, shirts with magnetic buttons from Castleisland Community College. This company was set up by Ellie Horgan, Emma Horgan and Blaithin Rahilly.
The Junior level winner was Carry Camán, a hi – vis hurley and sliotar holder, from Presentation Secondary School Castleisland. This company was the brainchild of Marguerite Herlihy, Seána Walsh, Clodagh Buckley and Lucey Matassa.
Other prizes were awarded for Best Stand, Innovation Award, Best Business Plan, Environmental Awareness, Duaiseanna Gaeilge and Social Enterprise.
Edel O’Connor from Mean Scoil Nua An Leith-truigh won the coveted award for Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year and Pobail Scoil Corca Dhuibhne won the Best School award.
Tomás Hayes, Head of Local Enterprise Office said; “I am pleased to see the level of innovation, resourcefulness, planning and development of all 25 projects in this year’s awards. This is a real-life exercise. It involves idea generation and actual trading. Profits are generated and finance is secured. It is a taste of business and all the issues involved from finding the right idea, funding the business, collecting the money, and building the team. I must commend the teachers for their efforts and the mentors for their support. The judges had a very difficult task!”
Margaret Murphy, Kerry Programme Coordinator said; “This was a very strong programme in 2024 requiring extensive work by teachers, mentors, and staff. The results are evident with three category winners which will be taking part in The National Final in Mullingar on 9 May 2024. We hope that we can win another award for Kerry following our great success in 2023.”
