Participating schools included: Clonakilty Community College, Clonakilty; Sacred Heart Secondary School, Clonakilty; Mount St. Michael, Rosscarbery; Maria Immaculata Community College, Dunmanway; Schull Community College, Schull; Ardscoil Phobal, Bantry; Scoil Phobail Bheara, Beara.
The overall winners were a team called “Belt Away” from Mount St Michael Secondary School, Rosscarbery. Their teacher John McMahon was delighted with the win and commented on the positive approach, enthusiasm and motivation of the team during the programme. The students during the day were asked about the programme and they simply commented “it’s all about the journey and not about the destination”. Little did they realise that they were on their way to the top as overall winners.
Their product is an educational board game and t-shirts with a positive message. The inspiration of which came from the current economic climate and doom and gloom around the country. The students wanted to uplift people in a positive approach. The name Belt Away derives from: Breathing deeply; Exercise; Laughter; Thinking positively; Away (attitude of gratitude, be thankful); Water (drinking 1.5 ltrs a day); Acts of kindness; Your happiness is your gift to the world. This type of message can only be admired by a group of students who want to get people to learn the characteristics of happy people in a fun competitive way with an educational board game. Their tag line is: “the ultimate currency is happiness; it improves the quality of individual lives and makes the world a better place”. Business mentor John Riordan coached the students throughout the programme and they received sponsorship from Scally’s SuperValu, Clonakilty. Having just launched their board game at the finals, they have sold 55 board games to date and are completely sold out of t-shirts! Their board games are selling at €10. Watch this space for a future success story from Rosscarbery students. The students will be selling their board game in Scally’s Supervalu Clonakilty on the 13th and 20th of March. www.belta-way.com
“Belt Away” will represent Mount St Michael and the West Cork Enterprise Board at the National Finals of the Schools Enterprise Programme in Dublin on 27th April.
Other winning teams on the day included:
The time and commitment of all the students and their ability to put together a working and successful mini company is truly admirable and bodes well for the future of indigenous businesses in the future. The students have been working on their company projects since last September and Thursday was final judging day. Encouragement and motivation from teachers has been crucial in bringing the students to the finals. Each enterprise group has been working on their mini-company since September and has gone through all the hurdles of manufacturing / financing / marketing /selling and presenting their chosen enterprise. The judging process at the finals included a review of a detailed business report; a presentation and assessment of their product or service. Each mini company created an exhibition stand of their company and did an individual 5 minute presentation to the three Judges who included: Sheila-Anne O’ Leary, Nua Training & Development, Skibbereen; Meabh Ring, Marketing Consultant, Kinsale and Ron Connell, Business Consultant, Cork city.
Speaking on the Programme’s success Christine Heffernan, West Cork Enterprise Board, commented “We are delighted with the success of the Programme. The teachers have played a vital role in making it happen. The programme is not compulsory and it’s thanks to the teachers and principals at the individual schools that the students got this excellent opportunity. The students have become more confident, work better as a team, demonstrate strong business skills and, overall, have grown as individuals. There is no denying, the students, our entrepreneurs of the future, have benefited greatly from the Programme. We are now looking forward to the National Finals in April”.
The West Cork Programme Co-Ordinator, Jackie Gowran, since last September has been working with both teachers and students by visiting their schools on many occasions and giving them the support and advice they needed to bring their ideas to fruition. The Cork Schools Enterprise Programme, an initiative developed by the Cork City and County Enterprise Boards aims to educate students in the practicalities of setting-up and running a business with a view to nurturing the entrepreneurs of the future. County & City Enterprise Boards are Funded under Ireland's EU Structural Funds Programme 2007-2013 with funding from the Exchequer and the European Regional Development Fund.
For further information or photographs, please contact:
Jackie Gowran, Programme Co-Ordinator, Cork Schools Enterprise Programme, West Cork
Email: jackiegowran@eircom.net
Phone: 087-6196682
Belt Away contact details:
Teacher: John McMahon, Mount St Michael, Rosscarbery
Mobile: 087-2806841
E-mail: beltaway@hotmail.com
www.belt-away.com