After months of hard work for students throughout Kilkenny, The Student Enterprise Awards is set to take place on 11th March in the Lyrath Estate.
Funded by the Goverment of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland, the programme is Ireland's largest business and enterprise programme for second level students and is delivered by 31 Local Enterprise Offices.
Some 750 students from 13 secondary schools will take part in this years awards in Kilkenny, the culmination of months of work by 1st to 6th year students who set up and run their own business.
The nominated teams from participating schools will descend upon the Lyrath Estate to compete in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories at the Kilkenny Student Enterprise Programme County final.
One student business from each category will be selected on the day to represent Kilkenny at the National final in Croke Park on Friday 1st May.
The last week of February 2020 saw Debbie Ridgard from The Takeover go around to 8 schools involved in the programme and hear from the students taking part.
CBS Kilkenny
Four separate groups are taking part in the Student Enterprise Programme from CBS Kilkenny making apps, locker dividers and upcycled lamps.
Evan O'Hara and David Bracken created an app that looks to change your phone to your own personal self-scanner at various shops.
After finding it difficult to utilise space in their own lockers, Enda McCabe and Joe Healy created reusable locker dividers.
A set of twins are taking part in the Enterprise Programme from CBS Kilkenny, separately however.
Niall Fitzgerald has made an audio tour of Kilkenny for both tourists and locals to find their way around the city whilst Martin Fitzgerald is in another group renovating old cameras and converting them into lights.
All of the interviews with students from CBS Kilkenny and timings can be found below.
0.00 - 2.16 : Evan O'Hara and David Bracken
2.16 - 4.50 : Joe Healy and Enda McCabe
4.50 - 6.45 : Niall Fitzgerald
6.45 - 8.26 : Martin Fitzgerald
School of the Holy Spirit
A first for the school, Shane O'Grady, Joshua Cullen, Ciaran Dowling and Aidan Hickey are taking part in the Student Enterprise Programme with their company Pyrograffix.
The students decided to go down the route of pyrographics, sketching images and illustrations onto wood with carbon paper.
Castlecomer Community School
From hurley holders to key rings to perfumes, Castlecomer Community School has an array of products going forward for the Student Enterprise Programme.
Luca Downey and Michael Rowe created the business Muck Off, a shoe cleaning tool for boots and wellies.
JMS Sports comprises of Mark Gunnar, Shane Coogan and Jack Dempsey. This handmade hurley holder allows customers to store away their sport equipment in one place.
Emma Flattery created Fuzz Budz on her own. The company uses recycled material and upcycles them into fashionable key rings.
Another solo project, Eimear Kavanagh combined her interest in clocks with her plan for the business, Tic Tok clocks. These are handmade clocks using CDs as faces.
Angela Fahey, Amy O'Shea and Jennifer Herbert formed the company AJA Fragrance together after seeing a niche in the market in their school.
Along the same line in the beauty industry, Maeve Brennan, Caitlan Ward and Nessa Morrisey built their business CNM Personalised Brush holders.
And Lush Life Bath Bombs, a company by Holly Farrell, Ella Tynan and Aoife O'Sullivan brings beauty products made for sensitive skin to the school.
All of the interviews with students from Castlecomer Community School can be found below.
00.00 - 1.38 : Mark Gunnar, Shane Coogan and Jack Dempsey
1.38 - 3.44 : Maeve Brennan, Caitlan Ward and Nessa Morrissey
3.44 - 5.31 : Luca Downey and Michael Rowe
5.31 - 8.02 : Angela Fahey, Amy O'Shea and Jennifer Herbert
8.02 - 9.39 : Emma Flattery
11.19 - 12.39 : Eimear Kavanagh
Coláiste Éamann Rís
Several students from Coláiste Éamann Rís are taking part in the junior and senior sections of the Kilkenny Student Enterprise Programme.
Nathan is in 4th year and is set to take part in the senior section of the awards. His business creates and sells Worry Dolls for younger children.
Ben Fitzpatrick and Billy Power formed a group together called Lumberloop which uses the shreddings from the woodwork room and creates fashion rings from the raw material.
Tim Doherty, Ryan Donavan and Shay Delaney look to create products to ease the lives of their customers with their company Savvy Solutions.
Corey, Cathal and Jan folow in the footsteps of their schoolmates through their company Mini Pockets. They make personalised mini satchels to hold trolley tokens and guitar picks.
Whilst twins Mark and Evan Srouji look to better conditions for the humble bumble bee with their company Bee&B Houses.
All of the interviews with students from Coláiste Éamann Rís can be found below.
0.00 - 2.32 : Nathan
2.32 - 5.00 : Tim Doherty, Ryan Donovan and Shay Delaney
5.00 - 7.06 : Corey, Cathal and Jan
7.06 - 10.17 : Ben Fitzpatrick and Billy Power
10.17 - 12.54 : Mark and Evan Srouji
Grennan College
Some 5 groups from Grennan College are taking part in the Student Enterprise Programme with companies selling powerbanks, upcycled horseshoes and food.
Abi Grogan and Sinead Codd formed the group Reuse a Shoe together finding an alternative purpose for used horseshoes.
Powerbees sees Kellie Devitor, Annie Waugh, Nikola Amatniece and Monica Cotter personalise powerbanks for their customers.
In a bid to tackle exam stress, Happy Squeeze was founded by Ella-Mai Somers, Katie Taylor, Olivia Skoczylas and Emer McDermott.
For Chloe anderson, Anna Ryan, Ella Gibbons, Annabelle O'Keefe and Sean McGlone, keeping up with fashion whilst being environmentally conscious was the basis for their company PDSU.
Whilst Bloom The Room is a company by Emily Malone, Hannah Hayes, Katie Mason and Shannon Oakey Begley
All of the interviews with students from Grennan College can be found below.
00.00 - 1.42 : Abi Grogan and Sinead Codd
1.42 - 2.29 : Kellie Devitor, Annie Waugh, Nikola Amatniece and Monica Cotter
2.29 - 4.04 : Chocolate Bark
6.38 - 8.07 : Emily Malone, Hannah Hayes, Katie Mason and Shannon Oakey Begley
Loreto Secondary School
The all girls school, Loreto Secondary school continues to welcome plenty of students to the Student Enterprise Programme with key ring designs, jewellery brands and face masks among the products.
AKA designs is a company by the trio Aoife, Kate and Aoife Cuddihy who make personalised key chains.
Think Wood is the company by Erin O'Connell and Ava Wilkinson who create wooden decorations.
Stixnstonezframes is the brainchild of Ellie Murphy, Maebh Richardson and Rebecca Lennon who create personalised frames with natural materials.
Along the same lines, Bouji Beach was created. The business by Caoimhe Daly sees her group create jewellery from shells and sea glass.
Skincare was the route Eve Murphy, Sarah Cairns, Nina Rebi and Caroiline Brennan went down through making homemade bathbombs along with scrubs.
All of the interviews with students from Loreto College can be found below.
00.00 - 1.31 : Aoife, Kate, Aoife
1.31 - 3.27 : Erin O'Connell and Ava Wilkinson
3.27 - 5.40 : Ellie Murphy, Maebh Richardson and Rebecca Lennon
5.40 - 8.20 : Eve Murphy, Sarah Cairns, Nina Rebi and Caroiline Brennan
8.20 - 10.20 : Caoimhe Daly
St Brigid's
With 10 groups taking part in the Student Enterprise Programme in Kilkenny this year, St. Brigid's had the largest group of students create companies for the awards,that we met during the week.
Chelsea McDonagh, Zoja Skocenova and Sarah Cahill created Chozo Creations, a food company with their own twist.
Heavenly Healthy sees Ava Brett and Molly Holden offer smoothie products for consumption.
Similarly, The Smoothie Perfectionists, created by Katie McGowan, Ruby Burkhardt, Esme Millea and Brenda O'Gallachoir offer different flavour smoothies and milkshakes.
Scrunchie secrets is Alannah Holden, Eleanor Hayes, Ava O'Brien and Lauren Hartley's answer to VSCO girls. They create their own handmade scrunchies.
Back to food and the cinema goers dream, Poppin Popcorn by Amy Power, Ria McCormack, Emma Stuart and Jasmin Crowe offers several flavours of the beloved popcorn snack.
A product that almost everyone owns in this day and age is a mobile phone. But when they're not in your pocket, they need somewhere to go. That's where Phone Essentials come in. Aly Cantwell, Ella Cantwell and Rosa White started the company and create wooden phone holders.
4th years Aimee O'Brien and Molly Dunne out their heads together to form Luxury and Comfort, a company that offers relaxation whilst remaining environmentally friendly.
Deer photos is a business by Rachel Hartley, Aisling O'Sullivan, Caoimhe Power, Chloe Bailey and Ruth Summer Saunders. They create wood decorations from fallen trees.
Bookmarks and personalised cards are the idea behind Jessie and Kristin Foley's business Callan Crafts whilst a Spoon Full of Joy sees Niamh Hogan and Katie Marnell create different flavour hot chocolates.
All of the interviews with students from St Brigid's can be found below.
00.00 - 1.22 : Katie McGowan, Ruby Burkhardt, Esme Millea and Brenda O'Gallachoir
1.22 - 2.45 : Alannah Holden, Eleanor Hayes, Ava O'Brien and Lauren Hartley
2.45 - 4.13 : Amy Power, Ria McCormack, Emma Stuart and Jasmin Crowe
4.13 - 5.16 : Aly Cantwell, Ella Cantwell and Rosa White
5.16 - 6.43 : Aimee O'Brien and Molly Dunne
6.43 - 8.17 : Ava Brett and Molly Holden
8.17 - 9.35 : Rachel Hartley, Aisling O'Sullivan, Caoimhe Power, Chloe Bailey and Ruth Summer Saunders
9.35 - 10.35 : Chelsea McDonagh, Zoja Skocenova and Sarah Cahill
10.35 - 12.31 : Jessie and Kristin Foley
12.31 - 13.41 : Niamh Hogan and Katie Marnell
Duiske College
The Graignamanagh school has students taking part in the junior and senior sections of the Student Enterprise Programme with their hurley, book and frame companies.
Two groups of 4th years and a group of 2nd years decided to take part. Eimear Ryan took up the pen and paper to create her first novel Bubble.
The group of friends Orlaith Ryan, Sarah Gilchrist, Hannah Doyle and Aoibhinn Canning created their business Hogan Stands, the answer to a messy utility room full of hurls.
Framed By Us is the third company from Duiske College. The business by Joanne Staunton, Jade Barron and Robyn Fenlon offers personalised frames to customers.
All of the interviews with students from Duiske College can be found below.
0.00 - 2.03 : Joanne Staunton, Jade Barron and Robyn Fenlon
2.03 - 4.20 : Eimear Ryan
4.20 - 6.49 : Orlaith Ryan, Sarah Gilchrist, Hannah Doyle and Aoibhinn Canning
Below you can find the photos from Beat's trip to schools in Kilkenny.
Click here for more information on the Student Enterprise Programme.
