Tipperary school wins Major Award in the All-Island Junior Entrepreneur Programme Awards

Scoil Aonghusa, Cashel, received the Game Changers Award for their JEP project, Super Drawer Boy in the All-Island Junior Entrepreneur Programme Awards announced today. The project was one of just 12 category winners out of 200 projects submitted. 

After much consideration and debate, the class decided to write, illustrate, and print a children’s book. The students were confident they had a unique idea that hadn’t been developed before. “We decided on the title “Super Drawer Boy.” Super Drawer Boy is a superhero who can help people by drawing things that become real with his superpower pencil,” they explained.

The students worked on the story and hand-illustrated each picture. The end result is a highly engaging and colourful 40-page superhero story. The budding entrepreneurs found a ready market in the school and the local community. They sold all 200 hundred copies and made a profit of €580. The class will treat themselves to a group day out with their earnings.

JEP was managed and delivered by class teachers Karen Hogan and Eamon Fogarty. Reacting to the news that their class received the Game Changers Award, Eamon said, “We will never be able to quantify what this has meant to our students. The programme has been a huge lift for everyone and has challenged all stereotypes and preconceptions of what our students can achieve”. “Every class member contributed to the creation of the story, making it a truly special experience for us all”, he added.

Commenting on the award, Marie Lynch said that by creating entrepreneurial projects that inspire and educate, JEP participants have an opportunity to bring about positive change in the community. “Our Game Changers Award honours classes who, in addition to creating a successful business, find ways of creating positive societal change that can benefit everyone for years to come”.

MENTORS AND ROLE MODELS

Thousands of Irish entrepreneurs have mentored 5th and 6th-class primary school pupils while they create and launch mini businesses in their schools. Children are inspired by local entrepreneurs invited to the classroom to share their stories.  EY Entrepreneur of the Year Alumni also volunteer their time to visit schools in their counties.