Students from Moate Communty School will have the honour of representing Westmeath at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme national finals to take place on May 18.
Their project ‘Decorapage’ was the winning selection in the junior category of the county final which was hosted by the Local Enterprise Office Westmeath within the surrounds of Golden Island Shopping Centre Athlone on Friday last.
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 24,000 students from just under 500 secondary schools across the country take part in 2020/2021. The programme supports students to create, design and market their own business, all with the hope of reaching the national finals.
Special guests at the Westmeath finnal included Pat Gallagher, Chief Executive of Westmeath County Council and judges David Quirke, Wholesome Kitchen, Mullingar, Brendan Gearon, Drakemount Ltd. and Tracey Tallon, Senior Enterprise Development Officer, LEO Westmeath.
Speaking following the announcement of winners at the county final, Catherine Darby, Business Advisor of Local Enterprise Office Westmeath congratulated the participating local students.
“We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Westmeath, with over 400 students from nine local schools taking part this year. Our national finalists are excellent ambassadors for the programme and we wish them the very best of luck in May.
“In what has been a particularly challenging couple of years 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,” Ms Darby commented.
The finals return to a physical event this year at The Helix in Dublin having been held online in 2020 and 2021.
