Teenage entrepreneurs from three local secondary schools are on their way to Croke Park in Dublin next month, to represent the county and Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Sligo at the National Finals of the Student Enterprise Programme.
Student Enterprise Programme
Teenage entrepreneurs going to Croke Park National Final announced
Senior Overall Winner Ursuline College – Funteach
Under the Student Enterprise Programme, which starts every September, budding secondary school entrepreneurs across County Sligo set-up and run their own enterprises, learning about the world of business with help from their teachers and Local Enterprise Office Sligo.
The students were all competing at the Sligo County Final on March 23rd last, which was held at the Clayton Hotel Sligo. An estimated 514 students from 11 second-level schools throughout the County took part in the programme locally. Students participate at all ages from 1st years (Junior Category), 2nd and 3rd years (Intermediate Category) to Transition Years and upwards (Senior Category)
In the Junior Category, Lorca Brannogan, Saoirse Gillmor, Alastair Hill, Conor Robinson and Robyn Scott from ‘Magmoji’s’ of Sligo Grammar School will be representing their county in Croke Park.
The Intermediate Winners were ‘Green Grow’ of Jesus and Mary Secondary School Enniscrone. Oisin Hynes and Michael Kilcullen will be representing their school and LEO Sligo at the National Finals on May 3rd.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Sligo will be represented on May 3rd by Erin Breheny and Eimear Kearins from ‘Funteach’, of Ursuline College Sligo.
Co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices in every Local Authority area, the competition is the most successful student enterprise programme of its kind in the country.
Praising local schools for helping to foster student enterprise in the classroom, John Reilly, Head of Enterprise of Local Enterprise Office Sligo said: “Our local schools are very committed to supporting youth entrepreneurship. Principals, teachers, boards of management and importantly, the student entrepreneurs themselves deserve huge credit for their dedication and hard work. Over the years, our team of Student Enterprise Co-Ordinators from Local Enterprise Offices have formed a very effective partnership with local schools, to help nurture our next generation of entrepreneurs and job creators.”
The full list of Awards won at the Local Enterprise Office Sligo Student Enterprise Awards County Final were:
| Junior Winner | Magmoji’s | Sligo Grammar School |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate Runner-up | Rudaí Aille | Sligo Grammar School |
| Intermediate Winner | Green Grow | Jesus and Mary Secondary School |
| Best Interview Winner | Happy Hampers | Grange Post-Primary School |
| Best Display Winner | Mix it Up | Coláiste Muire |
| Best Report Winner | Short Supply | Summerhill College |
| Special Merit Award | A&S Farm Safety | Coláiste Iascaigh |
| Special Merit Award | Iga T-shirts | St. Mary’s College |
| Marketing Award | Cairde Adhmaid | Coola Post-Primary School |
| Innovation Winner | Measure and Mix | Ursuline College |
| Senior 3rd Place | Soapisticated | Ursuline College |
| Senior Runner Up | What’s the Word? | Summerhill College |
| Senior Winner | Funteach | Ursuline College |
The National Finalists will be competing with up to 300 other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland on May 3rd. Further information around the Student Enterprise Programme, which is run by the Local Enterprise Offices, is available from www.studententerprise.ie and by searching #studententerprise on social media.
As part of the ‘first stop shop’ business support model, the Local Enterprise Offices deliver services and support to the micro and small business sectors with the guidance of the Centre of Excellence at Enterprise Ireland under the policy direction of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
