Press Release 18th March 2021
LIMERICK STUDENTS SET FOR NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FINAL
Local Enterprise Office Limerick have announced that winning teenager entrepreneurs from Newcastlewest and Castletroy will represent Limerick at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Final on Friday 14th May. As with last year’s event the Final will take place virtually with approximately 80 finalist teams logging in all over the country. The students all took part in the Limerick Final on 16th of March. An estimated 750 students from 19 school took part in the annual programme locally.
The enterprise education 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 over 29,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2019 / 2020. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the National Final.
In the Junior Category, the students representing Limerick at the National Final are: Alex Massey, Emma O'Connell from “Personalised Porttraits” at Desmond College.
In the Intermediate Category, Rebecca Campbell, Ebony Reihana from “Fridge.LY” at Desmond College will be representing the county at the Final.
In the Senior Category of the competition, Limerick will be represented on May 14th by Emma O'Shea, Rebecca Enright from “Zero Fog” at Desmond College.
In the “Most Creative Business Idea” section open to senior students, Jack Fitzgerald in Castletroy College came out on top. His idea “Garden Buddy” goes forward to the National Final.
Special guests at the Limerick Final included Cllr Michael Collins, Mayor of Limerick, Mike Cantwell Head of Enterprise in LEO Limerick and Garry Lowe of Whizzkids Training. There were also interviews with local entrepreneurs Aoife McNamara of AoifeIreland.com fame and Eoin Sheehan of Country Munch and TV demo fame.
Limerick has had previous success in the competition with all four teams representing Limerick at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals picking up awards. Jack Fitzgerald of Castletroy College, took second place in the “My Entrepreneurial Journey” Competition, Olivia Rugala of “EZ Tie Close” of Desmond College Newcastlewest, received the Special Merit Award in the Junior category, Alex Healy of “Comestibles” from Cholaiste Chiarain Croom, picked up Most Commercially Viable Business in the Intermediate Category and Ross O’Shea and Thomas Lillis of “Agrimech” from Villiers School scooped Best Commercial Potential in the Senior Category.
Speaking at the county final, Mike Cantwell Head of Enterprise, of Local Enterprise Office Limerick congratulated the students, saying “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Limerickwith over 750 students from 19local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck on Friday 14th, we’ll all be logged on to support them. In what has been a particularly challenging year for students the programme has offered them an outlet outside of the usual school demands. What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers”.
The local students will be competing against hundreds of other student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland at the Student Enterprise Programme National Final, taking place virtually on the 14th May.
Since the Student Enterprise Programme began in 2003, over 220,000 students have taken part, learning key skills on how to create a business idea, start a business and grow a business. The Student Enterprise Programme also has new range of online resources for 2020 / 2021 at www.StudentEnterprise.ie, which will feature regular blogs and houses a full range of Student Enterprise resources for students and teachers.
For further information, please contact Local Enterprise Office Limerick – 061 557499.
Names of participating schools in Student Enterprise Programme
Ardscoil Mhuire
Ardscoil Ris
CBS Sexton St.
Castletroy College
Coláiste Ciarán
Coláiste íde & Iosaf
Coláiste Iosaf
Coláiste Mhuire
Desmond College
Gaelcolaiste Luimnigh
Hazelwood College
Laurel Hill Colaiste
Salesians Pallaskenry
Scoil An Tri Naofa,
Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide
Scoil Pol
Thomond Community Coll
Villiers School
Names of winning enterprises
LIMERICK SEP 20-21 Winners
Category | Team Name | School |
Senior 1st | Zero Fog | Desmond College |
Senior 2nd | Student Digital Marketing Solutions | Castletroy College |
Senior 3rd | Batter and Crumbs | Hazelwood College |
Intermediate 1st | Fridge LY | Desmond College |
Intermediate 2nd | Song Art Company | Coláiste Ciarán, Croom |
Junior 1st | Personalised Portaits | Desmond College |
Creative Business Competition | Garden Buddy | Castletroy College |
Most Innovative Product | The Colapsa Cup | Scoil Mhuire & Ide, Newcastlewest |
Best Marketing | GRL Candles | Laurel Hill Coláiste |
Best Commercial Potential | 3D Pics | Coláiste Ciarán, Croom |
Best Video | Jewelery For Me | Ardscoil Mhuire |
Best Sales | Sweets n Treats | Scoil Trionaide Naofa, Doon |
Teacher’s Award | Ciaran O’Connor | Villiers School |
About the Student Enterprise Programme (studententerprise.ie)
The Student Enterprise Programme is co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Offices and involves approximately 29,000 students from 500 secondary schools every year. It runs from September to May and the 2020/2021 National Final takes place online on the 14th May.
Website: www.studententerprise.ie / #studententerprise / Twitter: @StudentEntProg / Facebook: /studententerpriseprogramme / Instagram: /studententerpriseprogramme