All eyes on the prize as enterprising students show their flair at awards

Three transition-year students who had the bottle to turn a classic science experiment into a toy have won the top prize at the Student Enterprise Award National Finals in Dublin yesterday.

Sixteen-year-old students, Matthew Hewston, Fergus Munday and Luke Sheridan from St Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, developed Squeazy, using attractive packaging and a strong marketing campaign around the characters, Drip and Drop.

The company has sold more than 1,000 of the toys and developed a partnership with O2 in Dublin.

Fergus explained that the aim of the game is to squeeze the bottle, trying to catch Drop with a hook and Drip with a loop and the product is now sold through a number of different outlets.

He said the product required no initial investment because all of the components were recycled. They used €200 raised from sales to reinvest in the company.

“We have sold 1,170 as of this morning . They cost €4 each and €5 if you want a box,” said Fergus.

Winner of the junior category is first-year student Andrew Butler from CBS High School, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, who is making money out of his love of keeping chickens.

The 13-year-old has produced the Chook Books series for people who have little or no experience of keeping hens but want to own a hen or two.

His first publication A beginner’s guide to keeping chickens, priced at €5, has been selling well since Nov 2012 and his second book, A complete guide to chicken breeds, costs €10.

“I am now only keeping Brahma hens and some crossbred but have kept bluebells, barnevelders, sussex, leghorns, minorca and orpingtons,” said Andrew.

Second-year students Shauna Bannon Ward and Samantha Brennan, from Oaklands Community College, Edenderry, Co Offaly, who won the intermediate category, with their Boom Book guarantee that all the science experiments included in the publication have been tried and tested by them.

Last year’s senior winner, Ciara Whooley, 18, from St David’s Secondary School in Greystones, Co Wicklow, with her glass baubles, is looking at employing someone to help her develop the business.

The fifth-year student’s company is called Irish Baubles and she designs and markets a range of souvenir baubles targeting the tourist market and the festive gift sector.

She dramatically increased sales at the fledgling company, with sales of 2,000 units at the end of last year.

In January she took part in Showcase 2013 in the RDS Dublin where she entered into negotiations with about 60 outlets across the country and abroad.

“My dream is to study international business when I leave school and, of course, to take Irish Baubles onwards and upwards,” she said.