24 - Dragons’ Den in Dudley

 

Around 250 young people from Dudley borough schools entered the competition, organised by Dudley Council’s education business partnership.  19 finalists from the four Dudley secondary schools, (Kingswinford, Wordsley, Hillcrest and The High Arcal School) battled it out in the final held at Saltwells Educations Development Centre.

 

The pupils were asked to come up with imaginative and enterprising business ideas which would make money, help save the planet, improve the quality of life, or help make a difference in school.

 

Judges from Dudley Education Business Partnership, The Prince’s Trust, and RM in partnership with the Dudley Grid for Learning were amazed by the variety of original and innovative ideas put forward by the Year 11 students.

 

Winner Lily Cooksey from Hillcrest School and Community College received a new computer monitor for her idea of a magnetic Christmas tree with magnetic decorations. 

 

 

Lily commented:

“It’s made me believe maybe my ideas are worth something and maybe someone will take notice of them”. 

Runners up Gemma Brindley and Toni Fitzgerald from The High Arcal School won iPods.  All prizes were donated by PC World, Merry Hill.

 

“The Dragons’ Den television programme has proved very popular and I can see no reason why this scheme with our schools can’t be just as big a success at a local level. I would like to congratulate all of the pupils who took part and came up with these enterprising ideas.”

 

“The whole dragon’s den experience including the presentation master class has been extremely useful for our students.  Presentation skills and independent thinking are skills that are often neglected in school and giving our students this opportunity has been beneficial.”

 

All finalists received Certificates and vouchers donated by Dudley EBP.