Waterford schools excel in Student Enterprise Awards

Schools in Waterford are celebrating their success in this year's National Student Enterprise Awards initiative.

Tramore Sea Salt Spray, from Ard Scoil na Mara won the Best Senior Student Enterprise in Waterford category in the county finals which took place on Tuesday, March 5, in the Park Hotel, Dungarvan.

Meanwhile, Protein Pros, from Mercy Convent secondary school, won Best Junior Student Enterprise award and both schools will go forward to the national finals of the competition which will take place on May 8.

The Waterford Student Enterprise Programme started in September with over 1,000 students from 14 schools throughout the city and county. 

They created their businesses, developed, branded, promoted and sold. However, according to a spokesperson for the organisers, most importantly they learned what it felt like to run their own business.

The county finals, which were co-ordinated by the Local Enterprise Office Waterford, coincided with Local Enterprise Week. The competition is the most successful programme of its kind in the country. 

The spokesperson told Waterford News & Star that 27,000 budding entrepreneurs, from 380 secondary schools across the country, have been running their own enterprises, with help from their teachers and Local Enterprise Offices.

Tramore Sea Salt Spray, winner of the Senior award in Waterford, created, produced and sold a unique product to enhance hair texture and volume by using natural mineral-rich sea salt, giving hair a beachy, tousled look while also nourishing and strengthening it. The team is composed of Ben Phelan, Arlo Barron, Donnacha Flannery and Sam Ahern.

Protein Pros, from Mercy Convent Secondary School, was the first junior winners in Waterford in almost 10 years and they produced a product similar to protein balls, however, they made various different protein shapes instead. They offered multiple flavours including biscoff, dairy milk, and peanut butter, in the shape of stars and hearts. The team included Sophie Wall, Emily O’Regan, Casey Wyse and Layla Costello.

Twelve schools, represented by 100 students, competed in the County Waterford final in Dungarvan. They represented 36 businesses - which were shortlisted down from 350 enterprises that began the competition in September. The students presented their business plans and challenged for the top prize in the county section of the Student Enterprise Programme.

When Tramore Sea Salt Spray and Protein Pros represent Waterford at the National Finals on May 8, they will go up against 34 other businesses from around the country.

National finalists from all over the country will set-up enterprise displays before taking part in a series of interviews with judges. The judging panels take numerous factors into account, such as business reporting, innovation, market research, risk management and finances.

Praising the teachers and local schools involved in the programme, Gareth Evans, Head of Enterprise at the Local Enterprise Office Waterford, said: “We run a very successful and popular Student Enterprise Programme here in Waterford, thanks to the support of the many schools and teachers in the area."

"The Student Enterprise Awards give local teenagers a taste of what it’s like to run their own business and to be their own boss," said Gareth.

"Along the way, the programme helps them develop important entrepreneurship skills, learning about sales, innovation, managing finances and finding new markets," he added.

"Learning the fundamentals of running a business now, will help them throughout their studies and career.” 

Further information about May’s, National Finals is available through www.studententerprise.ie, which also has free resources and video tutorials for students and teachers for the 2025/2026 programme.

For more information, please contact your Local Enterprise Office at 35 the Mall, Waterford City, or Civic Offices in Dungarvan. Alternatively, you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie