A group from Portlaoise CBS have been crowned winners of the Student Enterprise Programme Laois Schools County Final.
The event, which took place in the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise today, saw students from secondary schools all over the county compete.
And a group from Portlaoise CBS, ‘Hurl Standz’, were chosen as the winners for this year.
Both ‘Hurl Standz’ and Intermediate category winners Rudaí Beaga from Dunamase College will represent Laois at the National final of the Student Enterprise Programme in Croke Park.
Hurl Standz is made up of Park-Ratheniska trio Simon Fingleton, Noah Fingleton and Marc Ramsbottom.
Hurl Standz is essentially a wall rack that comes in single or double size and allows hurlers to store their equipment in a smaller space than would normally be the case.
Under the guidance of Ms Emma Lynch, the lads say the advantage of using their product over a large box is that it doesn’t take up floor space.
Eight secondary schools were represented at the awards with 35 teams displaying their mini-enterprises at the event.
Mountrath CS group MK Stitching – which included Jake Kirwan and Darragh McSpadden – came third, while second place went to Scoil Chriost Ri’s Ebony’s Kitchen, set up by Ebony Onalimi.
The Creative design award went Colaiste Iosagain’s Jessica McDarby for her business ‘Personalised Hand Painted Shows’.
Portlaoise College’s Caoimhe Dunne, Jade Brennan, Norbert Burnos, Nathan Dowling and Alomide Olotu won the Technology award with their business ‘Game Changer Kits’.
The Innovation award went to Arianne Conroy, Taylor Culliton Conroy, Eve Tarpey, Aimee Cousins and Joshua Gill from Mountmellick Community School for ‘Magic Fairy Doors’.
Speaking at the county final, Ms Evelyn Reddin of Local Enterprise Office Laois congratulated the students, saying: “We have a very successful student enterprise programme here in Laois, with over 280 students from 8 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 Croke
Park on May 3.”
Fair play to all!
SEE ALSO – Scoil Chríost Rí manager Scully praises ‘super’ group of players ahead of All-Ireland final
