OUR Pictured Kilkenny students are all winners, having been successful at the National Final of this year’s Student Enterprise Programme scooping awards across the different categories.
The finals were broadcast virtually on Friday. May 14 from Croke Park with An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Ambassador Derval O’Rourke speaking with host RTE’s Rick O’Shea, as students and teachers watched on from across the country.
Supported by Local Enterprise Office, Kilkenny students won special merit awards in the Most Creative Business Idea’ competition which is open to senior students, Best Adaptability Award in the Covid era in the Junior Category and the Overall Award in the ‘My Entrepreneurial Journey’ competition at Intermediate level.
Mark Srouji, from Coláiste Éamann Rís, Callan was again announced a winner, this year awarded first prize in the ‘My Entrepreneurial Journey’ competition at Intermediate level. Mark set up a business called Mark’s Productions making themed table centrepieces. As part of the competition he interviewed Anne Neary of Ryeland House Cookery School as his case study.
Last year Mark and his twin brother Evan were successful in winning a Special Merit Award in the Intermediate Category of the main Student Enterprise Programme.
In the ‘Most Creative Business Idea’ competition, open to senior students, Rachel Brennan of Loreto Secondary School was awarded a Special Merit Award for her Covid-19 related business idea ‘Counting After Covid’. Rachel’s idea involved the development of customised framed money box containing imagery to motivate people to save for trips, adventures, etc. post Covid.
In the Junior Category, winning students Noah Cahill, Ian McDonald and Thomas Deegan from Coláiste Éamann Rís, Callan worked under the guidance of their teacher Emer Hickey to win the Best Adaptability Award in the Covid era. Their student enterprise was called Parcel Trust, which manufactures high-quality secure outdoor storage boxes designed particularly with online deliveries in mind.
There were 72 student enterprises competing in this year’s National 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 29,000 students from almost 500 secondary schools across the country take part.
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