Bank of Ireland Student Awards 2010
Congratulations to Caroline O'Grady for winning the Bank of Ireland National Student Award 2010 in the 'Entrepreneurial Spirit' category.
Caroline was presented with her award by Hector Ó hEochagáin at the Awards Evening held in the Osprey Hotel, Nass on Friday 7th May.
Read below for Caroline's progression from the Regional to the National Awards
Regional Awards Report
BUDDING entrepreneur Caroline O'Grady from Colaiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole has stormed to victory in the regional finals of the Bank of Ireland Student Awards 2010.
The 5th year student was one of 12 from the greater Dublin area to be selected as National Finalists.
Caroline has been awarded for her entrepreneurial spirit, as she is the successful managing director of a mini company Keytimes. Caroline, along with four of her peers designed and produced portable transport information devices, giving consumers up to date timetables on keyrings.
Caroline now qualifies for the final stage of the competition where judges will choose the final 12 national winners, having already been victorious at local and regional levels. She was presented with her award at a prize giving ceremony in the House of Lords College Green last week.
From the finalists, one will be chosen as the overall national winner and will be awarded a total cash prize of € 4,500 plus €8,000 for their nominating school.
This is the fifth year of the national competition, in which Bank of Ireland has recognised the talents of over 5,000 secondary school students across the country. All finalists will be awarded a certificate and prize to mark their achievement in the competition and their entries will be considered for inclusion in the national final by the judging panels. From these, one student will be chosen as the overall national winner.
Commenting on the award, Stephen Mason Regional Manager Dublin Bank of Ireland said: 'Previous winners have been an inspiration to all of us involved in these awards and Caroline O'Grady is testimony to that. I am delighted to congratulate Caroline on her wonderful achievement and I wish her every future success and good luck at the national final.'
National Awards Report
A FIFTH-YEAR STUDENT at Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, Kilcoole, was awarded a prestigious accolade on Friday night, when she claimed the Entrepreneurial Spirit award at the Bank of Ireland National Students Award 2010.
Seventeen-year-old Caroline O'Grady was named as the winner of the top award following the success of her enterprise 'Keytimes', where she and four of her peers set up a business to make and sell key rings with public transport timetables.
This simple but innovative idea proved a hit with the customers and has been very successful to date, with customers having all the times for local DART, bus, LUAS and aircoach attached to their keys.
Caroline beat off tough competition from hundreds of schools around the country to claim the top award at a lavish awards ceremony in the Osprey Hotel in Naas, Co. Kildare, which was hosted by Irish TV personality Hector O'Heochagain.
Caroline was nominated for the award by her teacher Ruairi Farrell, who was also present on the night along with school principal Mr. Shane Eivers and members of Caroline's family. Jason Quilty, Manager at Bank of Ireland, Greystones, was also in attendance at the awards ceremony to congratulate Caroline and Colaiste Chraobh Abhann on a wonderful achievement. Caroline was awarded with a glass trophy and a prize fund of €4,500.
When presenting the award, head judge in the enterprise category, Ms. Vanessa Tierney CEO of Bloom BPO, commented on Caroline's leadership skills, enthusiasm, drive and determination. She also referred to Caroline as an 'entrepreneurial inspiration to us all'. The judges who included well-known entrepreneur Colm O'Sullivan of Cully and Sully fame, were impressed by Caroline's display of sheer tenacity, forward thinking and team motivation. Caroline hopes to go on and study business and accounting at third level before hopefully opening up her own business at some point in the future.
The Bank of Ireland awards are an opportunity to celebrate the achievement of Ireland's best students and to showcase their outstanding success. 'With people of Caroline's calibre leading the way, Ireland future promises to be a bright one,' Tierney concluded.