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THE Virtual County Final of the Kerry County Council Annual Student Enterprise Awards was held today (Wednesday).
Seventeen mini-businesses were set up by over 60 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.
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The students progressed through the establishment of a mini company which trades over a period of months.
Prizes were awarded at Junior, Intermediate and Senior level. The winners of the County Student Enterprise Awards in all categories go forward to the Virtual National Finals to be held in Croke Park on May 14.
The winner of the Senior Category was “Cartaí Feasa” – a bilingual card game for primary schools on mythological stories set up by Sibéal Ní Órgáin, Aoife Feirtéar and Caoimhe Ní Bheaglaoich from Pobal Scoil Corca Dhuibhne.
The winners of the Intermediate Category was “Timpeall An Tí” a fun educational board game for learning Irish and set up by Eilis Enright, Ella Killington, Keeva Ahern & Ciara Shanahan from Castleisland Community College.
The Junior level winner was “Safety Studs” a pair of waterproof sports footwear set up by Jah-Eva Browne, Mairead Walsh, Clodagh O’Sullivan & Rachel Dehiel from Presentation Secondary School, Castleisland.
Other prizes awarded were for Social Enterprise;
• Social Enterprise – Stellar Siblings, Meán Scoil Nua an Leith-Triúigh Castlegregory
• Future Tech Digital Award – Demented Ostrich, Killarney Community College
• Best Stands – Ash on the Dash, Presentation Castleisland
• Green Environment Award – Forest Friendzzz, Castleisland Community College
• Innovation Award – Safety Studs – Presentation Castleisland
• Best Business Plan Award – On De Go Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne
• Business Scaling Award – Irish Walkingsticks , The Green Tralee CBS
• Irish Prizes – Timpeall an Tí, Castleisland Community College and Cartai Feasa , Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne
• Creative Video Finalist is Melvyn the Robot from Presentation Secondary School Tralee.
Laura Leahy of Castleisland Community College won the coveted award for Entrepreneurial Educator of the Year and Castleisland Community College also won the Most enterprising 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 17 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!”
Bridget Fitzgerald, Economic Development Officer with Kerry County Council added “Kerry County Council is core to enterprise development in the County and this competition emphasises this role. I am enthused to see the future of entrepreneurial development in County Kerry. Long may it last!”.
Margaret Murphy, Kerry Programme Coordinator emphasised “This was a very strong programme in 2021 requiring extensive work by teachers, mentors and staff which was made a lot more difficult with remote working and teaching. The results are evident with three category winners going to the national final. We hope that we can win another award for Kerry following our great success in 2020.”
