Students buck the recession threat!

There may be businesses closing - but students in Westmeath who started up their own firms as part of the Student Enterprise competition - managed to stay solvent, and indeed, record small profits!The winners of this year"s competition were announced by the Westmeath County Enterprise Board in Athlone at the weekend, and among those on the winners list were students from Loreto College, Mullingar, Columba College, Killucan, and Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan.The judges in the competition were Gerry Duffy, Duffy Properties Ltd., Lisa O Connell, Forus Training Ltd., assisted by John O"Reilly, Strikebox Innovations; Caroline McGrath, Jasmine Design, and Bernard Flynn, Property Developer, judged the Intermediate competition, while Siobhan Bigley, Athlone Chamber of Commerce and Chris Vos, Prince of Wales Hotel, judged the Junior Competition.Christine Charlton, CEO of Westmeath County Enterprise Board congratulated students for the high quality of their business enterprises and encouraged students to continue their entrepreneurial skills.All students who reached the County Final were presented with a Student Enterprise Certificate, Westmeath CEB goodie pack containing a Westmeath CEB hoody, lanyard, memory stick, lunch voucher and back pack.Overall category winners received cash prizes and were presented beautifully designed Trophies from Mullingar Crystal.St, Josephs" Summerhill scooped victory in the senior category with "Sell B" a recession beating idea of a buying and selling magazine that would allow students and teachers to buy or sell items at a good price. Second prize was also awarded to St. Joseph"s while Our Lady"s Bower, Athlone received third prize. Moate Secondary School won Most Innovative Business and Best Business Display went to Mercy College Kilbeggan.Loreto School, Mullingar won first place in the Intermediate category. "Study Buddy" students Niamh Hand, Lisa Brennan and Aine Lynn created secondary school subject notes on CD for first year students. Judges Bernard Flynn and Siobhan Bigley thought that the amount of work the girls had put into creating this CD made them deserving winners.A big cheer followed the announcement of the second prize which went to "Highlighted Hoodies" students Adam Smith, Eibhlín O"Mara, Daniel Dalton, Nathan Byrne and Aaron Flanagan who represented St. Columba College, Killucan. This is the first time this school reached the Westmeath Student Enterprise Awards.Their efforts were to be rewarded again in the junior category. Most Innovative award went to "Get the Cert" started by Shauna Langley from Loreto College, and Best Display was awarded to St. Josephs Summerhill.Second prize in the Junior category was awarded to "Rockin Bobbins" students Shauna Geoghegan and Ciara Barry, representing St. Columba College, Kilucan. Both girls designed hair bobbin holders with bobbins, which proved the perfect solution for hair bobbins.Most Innovative prize was awarded to "Wrap it Up" students, Brogan Ryan Jessie Raleigh-Doyle and Tino Chidavaenzi representing Loreto Secondary School Mullingar."Study Buddy" students Niamh Hand, Lisa Brennan and Aine Lynn from Loreto School will represent Westmeath in the Intermediate category in the National Student Enterprise Awards Finals in Tullamore on the 14th of May.Westmeath County Enterprise Board was delighted with the quality of enterprise shown by students in Westmeath.Westmeath Student Enterprise programme continues with schools now participating in playing their business game on the internet. On www.businessgame.ie, students run their own interactive GAA shop on the internet. Winners will receive a Nintendo Wii along with numerous other spot prizes.