Celebrating success at Northland's Young Enterprise Scheme Awards

15 October , 2004

EDUCATION : MEDIA RELEASES 2004

This annual event held to celebrate the successes of Northland students participating in the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), was held recently at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Bay of Islands. An inspiring night, with just on 200 people attending, the event picked up on Olympic Games values of participation, pursuit of excellence, along with a "can-do" attitude.

YES is a scheme in which senior secondary school students form companies, become directors, and develop products and services which they market and sell. YES teaches skills in budgeting, planning, interpersonal relations, decisionmaking, reporting, communications, risk management and teamwork. The Awards evening is an integral part of Enterprise Education in Northland.

The students, supporters, and sponsors alike thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Those attending the Awards were blown away by the personal and insightful speeches made by the students. The value of this type of experiential learning was very evident in their presentations. All bodes well for the future of Northland in the hands of these young people.

The following are the Award winners:

Northpower Award for Business Management - "Sportec" from Whangarei Boys' High School Product: a thermal training vest with protective shoulder and neck pads sewn into the garment.

Gilmore Brown Award Financial Management - "Smart Juniors" from Kamo High School Product: an interactive card game to be used as a teaching aid by parents or staff in Early Childhood Units.

Tenix Shipbuilding New Zealand Limited Award for Technology - "Reload Gaming Café" from Kerikeri High School Product: these students used their knowledge of the internet and interactive internet games to put together a very comprehensive business plan to develop a Gaming Café in Kerikeri.

 ANZ Award for Innovation - "Natroheat" from Kamo High School Product: a system for heating water with compost.

 Northern Publishing Company Award for Communication - "Freestyle02" from Springbank School Product: a modular system for Motorcross Ramps, enabling ease of transportation and setting up.

Rotary District 9011 Award for Service - "Lazies" from Whangarei Girls' High School Product: uniquely designed wheat bags, enabling the bags to be strapped to the desired area of the body.

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise Award for Commitment - "Independent Management Co" from Whangarei Boys' High School Product: student lockers

Te Puni Kokiri Award for Best Maori Company - "Mini Mimic Company" from Broadwood Area School Product: a Christmas CD packaged in the shape of Santa, and marketed to retailers as Chris tmas gifts for valued clients.

Spotless Services Overall Company of the Year - "Smart Juniors" from Kamo High School This group of students have been selected to compete in the Enterprise New Zealand Trust National Awards to be held in Wellington on the 27 th October 2004 .

The inaugural Rotary Club of the Bay of Islands Young Entrepreneur Trophy for the Top Young Entrepreneur in the YEP (Young Entrepreneur Programme) - Brooke Fitness , managing director of Computing Fitness Limited Product: an interactive, instructional CD for people of all ages who are new to computers.