15 October 2010
The business skills of Auckland’s students took centre stage last night at the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) regional finals for North Shore and Rodney.
Excel Corporations, a student company from Takapuna Grammar School, took out the top prize with their educational board game, ‘Make a Million’, which teaches essential business skills to children.
It was a big night for the group who not only beat 47 other student companies for the Smales Farm company of the year award, but also won the Bartercard excellence in communication award. Team member Umar Kuddus also scooped an individual award winning the Optimize male young entrepreneur of the year.
“The Excel Corporations team is an excellent endorsement for this school-based programme,” says YES regional coordinator Lisa Ford. “These students have experienced not only how to operate a real business, but have embraced the opportunity to push themselves to make the business a success. Watching their progress this year has been inspirational.”
The evening’s awards, held at North Harbour Stadium, were presented to the year 12 and 13 students in front of an audience of more than 170 dignitaries, sponsors, mentors, parents and fellow students who participated in this year’s Young Enterprise Scheme.
An innovative organic slug repellent saw BONZA from Westlake Boys High School win second place and also claim the Massey Engineering excellence in problem solving award and the Bartercard excellence in communication award.
As well as winning the top title, Bill Smale, Smales Farm director and major sponsor of the awards, presented Excel Corporations with a surprise cash prize of $1,000, Bonza received $600 and third place winner Cadence from Westlake Boys High School received $400.
YES sponsor Massey University also gifted each member of Excel Corporations with a $2,000 scholarship to attend its business school.
Excel Corporationswill now compete for the New Zealand title at the national awards in Wellington on November 3, 2010. Two other North Shore teams, Apex from Westlake Boys High School and Advance Generation from Rangitoto College, will also attend the national awards where they will receive excellence awards.
Enterprise North Shore runs the Young Enterprise Scheme in Auckland Central, North Shore and Rodney.
