As part of GEW – Global Entrepreneurship Week (18-22^nd November 2013), teams from across Sheffield Secondary schools were invited to take part in a special annual Enterprise challenge day entitled ‘Make your Mark’ hosted by Sheffield University Enterprise Department.

Our team members were nominated by Mrs Wilmot and Mrs Silverwood because they had either already demonstrated their enterprising skills in previous activities in school, and/or they had the potential to develop these key skills further in this citywide competition.

The theme for this years challenge was ‘Le Grand Depart’ cycling event which will come to Sheffield next July. Teams had to design a new ‘Made in Sheffield’ product to market to tourists attending this world famous event next Summer.

They had to use all of the key enterprise skills – Teamwork, Communication & Presentation skills, problem solving, decision making, risk taking, planning & organising and financial capability to complete the challenge. Our 8 budding Y10 entrepreneurs worked tirelessly all day on their ideas for a new mobile phone app to promote the event and a funky collapsable water bottle. Following the presentations from each school at the end of the day, Team Meadowhead were deemed the best team on the day and were awarded the ‘Best teamwork’ prize badges by the University organisers.

Just six top teams from Secondary schools across the city were then chosen to attend the finals  to present their business plan to a top panel of judges at Barclay’s Bank on 9th December to compete for overall 1st and 2nd prize. I am delighted to announce that 5 students from our original team won the ’runners up’ prize of £60 shopping vouchers!  Félicitations team Meadowhead—we are all very proud of you!

“I enjoyed just taking part and being at the finals and being able to communicate with new people outside school” Cameron

“I enjoyed knowing that all of our hard work had paid off when we won the prize!” Mollie

“I liked taking part because we got to see other schools’ ideas and to experience pitching our ideas to a real panel of business judges at the bank” Maria

I liked the buffet lunch, participating and learning how to pronounce our slogan into French, German, and Spanish for the export market” Ozlem

“It was great to see our ideas develop into a formal presentation and to be able to present this to judges at Barclay’s bank was a rewarding experience – especially when we won the prize!” Rebecca

Well Done!

Mrs Silverwood