Meath students claim national enterprise final awards

Meath students have taken four special prizes in the junior and senior categories at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals in Croke Park.

In the junior category, Sadie McGarry from Eureka School in Kells, who worked under the guidance of teacher, Declan Curran won the Best Display Award.

Her enterprise was called: ‘Happiness is Handmade Crafts by Sadie’, which produced a range of hand-crafted, sustainable wooden table centre pieces. Sadie not only scooped the Best Display award, but also was awarded a special prize for the Most Creative Use of Social Media. Sadie was also awarded the One to Watch by Anthony Gorman from Anthony’s Reindeer who has featured on RTE Nationwide and sells his wooden reindeer nationwide.

In the senior category, Grace O’Donnell and Jada O’Connor, from Colaiste Pobail Rath Chairn were awarded Highly Commended in the Senior category for their business, ‘A Girl’s Guide to Confidence’, a special book which the students authored, produced and sold as a “big sister for big sisters.” Grace and Jada were guided by their teacher, Shane McGowan.

There were 82 student businesses in contention across three main categories for the final in what is Ireland’s largest entrepreneurship programme for second level students.

The National Final students, who competed across three categories, junior, intermediate and Cenior, were all attendance on the day exhibiting their businesses which were judged by a team of national businesses experts and mentors. Each student enterprise was challenged with creating, setting up and running their own business, which must show sales of their service or product. The judging panel included business owners and representatives from enterprise agencies and associated bodies.