Enterprising youths

Enterprising youths tackle ‘Challenge’

Neill O’Neill

If the recent ‘Enterprise Challenge,’ run in the county’s schools by Mayo County Enterprise Board (CEB) in December, is anything to by, then the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Mayo.
Aiming to appeal to hidden innovators and entrepreneurs, the Enterprise Challenge was run by a facilitator – Annette Clancy – and aimed to show students how a passion or simple idea can be converted into a successful business. Taking part were transition and fifth year classes from St Muredach’s College, Ballina, Sancta Maria College, Louisburgh, St Joseph’s Secondary School, Castlebar and St Louis Community School in Kiltimagh.
On the day students were randomly divided into groups of four or six and spent several hours deciding upon and developing a business idea into a workable business plan. For this task they had the help of business consultants Deirdre Garvey, Brendan Regan, Lesley Emerson, Cris Kiely and Auveen O’Neill. Their plans were then presented to the entire group and the winning idea chosen by a vote from the business consultants.
The challenge demanded team work, co-operation, determination, flair and the ability to work under pressure against the clock. The vast bulk of the ideas and the finished products came from the students themselves and the business consultants, Mayo CEB and indeed, the teachers, were very impressed by the standard and ability of the teenage entrepreneurs.
“The vision and entrepreneurial spirit exhibited by the students was quite overwhelming and many of the ideas they put forward were very workable, well thought out and well presented,”  Frank Fullard, CEO of Mayo County Enterprise Board, said afterwards.