A group of enterprising young students from Abbey Vocational School, scooped the overall winners’ prize at the recent finals of the Donegal Student Enterprise Programme when 36 teams from 13 schools around the county competed.
Aodhan McCrudden, Luke Kelly and Cormac Sweeney impressed the judges with their ‘Growth’ business,’ aimed at promoting greener and more environmentally friendly garden products.
The junior category was won by Tweedelicious – Sorcha Walsh, Summer Mae Kerr, Aoife Cox, Amy McGroary and Christina Gysling from Abbey Vocational School who made coasters from Donegal Tweed Cut-Offs.
The Student Enterprise Programme is part of a national programme for secondary level school students with the ambition of encouraging a culture of entrepreneurship.
The event allows students to understand the potential of being self-employed as a career choice while educating them on the principles of business.
In Donegal, the programme started in September with an idea generation workshop delivered at several locations across the county.
Students in the participating schools then progressed to develop a business idea and began trading ahead of the county final in Letterkenny last week.
The high standard of all the entries meant the judges – Cathaoirleach Seamus O’Domhnaill, Martin O’Reilly from O’Reilly Sports in Ballybofey and Aisling Arnold from Arnold’s Hotel in Dunfanaghy – had a difficult task when they met the young entrepreneurs last Thursday.
Buncrana team, Cole Sheridan and Andrew Jackson from Scoil Mhuire took the Intermediate award with their business Inishowen Slate Crafts, while in the senior section “One day at a Time” from Royal & Prior School in Raphoe were runners-up with their business of a book packed with motivational messages.
The winner of the best stand on the day was Green Leaf Organics from St Columba’s, Stranorlar.
Head of Enterprise in Donegal, Michael Tunney praised the students for the standard of their entries.
“The Local Enterprise Office is geared towards promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship in Donegal and it is tremendous to see the enthusiasm and dedication the participating teams have demonstrated,” Tunney said.
The winners of each category will now go on to the National Final on May 3 in Croke Park to represent Donegal.
Local Enterprise Office Donegal is supported through co-funding from the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014 – 2020.
To contact the Local Enterprise Office in Donegal, log on to localenterprise.ie/donegal or phone 0749160735.
