Students from Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon have taken Second prize in the Junior Category at this year’s Student Enterprise Programme National Finals.
The winning students Bríd-Áine Rouine, Áine Hennigan and Eimear Lernihan, all 13 years old, who worked under the guidance of their teacher, Caitríona Hynes were awarded for their BEA Body Scrubs.
BEA Scrubs produce eco-friendly body scrubs. Their ethos is based on the circular economy, they use bi-product from coffee granules sourced from a local coffee shop and use this product as the core ingredient for their scrubs.
The students also enjoyed the support of the Local Enterprise Office in Clare.
The scrubs are made from 100% sustainable and by-products as ingredients and are sold to customers, locally, regionally and nationally. The coffee granules are purchased from local coffee distributor Anam Coffee.
The Finals of the Local Enterprise Office initiative were held physically for the first time in three years at the Helix in Dublin with An Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and host RTE’s Rick O’Shea, with students and teachers in attendance from all over the country.
Padraic McElwee, Head of Enterprise Clare and Chair of LEO Network said, “Year on year the Student Enterprise Programme continues to showcase the very best of Irish ingenuity and entrepreneurship amongst our secondary school students.
“This year produced a varied selection of businesses, from agricultural products and homemade gifts to products that were built on our unique ability to tell compelling stories.
“We see every year that the National Finals are not an end point for our student entrepreneurs, but a stepping stone on the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey. From our class of 21/22 we will see some business leaders and global entrepreneurs of the future emerge.”
An Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, who took part in the ceremony, congratulated the students and said, “To be able to create an idea, turn that idea into a business and to grow that business, is a remarkable skill that will stand to you no matter what you end up doing in your career later in life.
“In Ireland we have always shown great fortitude, determination and grit in times of difficulty and if these students are anything to go by, we have not lost that ability.
“In fact, I’m more positive than ever about the future and the next generation. Special mention to the teachers and parents who helped the students along the way, we will all benefit from your efforts. Please know that for anyone who wants to keep their idea going or has an idea for a business in the future, Government will back you every step of the way.”