IT was a dream ending for a group of Presentation Tralee students on Thursday, when they won the national final of the AIB Build A Bank Award in Dublin.

The AIB Build a Bank Challenge sees a team of six students selected to set up and manage a bank in their school with the full support of a dedicated AIB Student Officer.

The students get involved in everything from developing a Business Plan, branding their Bank and engaging with the community to sourcing new customers through creative marketing campaigns.

Having previously won the regional competition in March, the Transition year ‘Dream Bank’ team beat off competition from all over the country over the course of the school year to win the top prize of €5,000 for the school, while each individual member won a One4All voucher for €500.

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The dream team consisted of  Manager – Katie Ahern, Assistant Manager – Lauren Kelly, Customer Representatives –  Sarah Kilgallen, Aishat Lawal, Marketing Advisor – Laura O’Connell and Financial Advisor – Ciara Dennehy.

The team is a very worthy winner of the competition having given an incredible amount of their time and energy to build up a successful school bank this year  – opening for business every Thursday, encouraging all students to save regularly, running promotions and competitions, giving presentations to Junior Business students in the school on the importance of saving regularly etc.

The girls were supported all year by teachers Ms. O’Grady and Ms. O’Connor who accompanied the girls to Dublin on the day.

Well done to all involved in this fantastic achievement.