Westlake Boys take top honours at regional competition

An ingenious mathematics based computer game and a user-friendly magnetic window washer saw Westlake Boys High School take out the two top honours at the annual Smales Farm North Shore Regional Awards as part of the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES).

The student companies, made up of year 12 and 13 students, were presented with awards at a ceremony at North Harbour Stadium last night in front of an audience of dignitaries, sponsors, mentors, parents and fellow students who participated in this year’s Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme.

Westlake Boys student company Axiom won the Smales Farm North Shore YES  Company of the Year for their innovative kiwi-themed computer game, aimed at primary school students, which uses curriculum aligned maths skills. They also won the Quicken NZ Excellence in Information Management and Bartercard Excellence in Communication awards.

Fellow Westlake student company ProDG won the Smales Farm North Shore YES Company of the Year Runner Up with their pragmatic magnetic window washer.

Bill Smale, Smales Farm director and major sponsor of the awards, presented Axiom with a surprise cash prize of $1,200 and ProDG $800. He noted: “With such an abundance of entrepreneurial talent the North Shore will continue to be a hotbed of innovation for NZ well into the future.”

This year more than 370 students, from across North Shore and Rodney secondary schools took part in the popular entrepreneurial programme, facilitated by Enterprise North Shore.

This year’s students are exceptionally talented and motivated according to Terry Hoskins, chief executive of Enterprise North Shore.

“The YES programme is designed to foster students’ entrepreneurial skills giving them the ability and confidence to strive for future business success. We were constantly impressed at the flair and drive of the 2009 YES students who have already proved that they are already entrepreneurs.”

Members of the Axiom team will now represent the North Shore at the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme National Awards in Wellington on 4 November 2009.

Award recipients

Smales Farm North Shore YES Company of the Year:

Winner:    Axiom, Westlake Boys High School

Smales Farm North Shore YES Company of the Year Runner Up

Winner:    ProDG, Westlake Boys High School

Enterprise North Shore Teacher of the Year

Winner:      Kelly Easton, Rangitoto College

Enterprise North Shore Male Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner:      Paul Minors, Rangitoto College

Women’s Health at Apollo Female Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Winner:    Sammi Le, Pinehurst School

Quicken NZ Excellence in Information Management

Winner:    Axiom, Westlake Boys High School

Orcon Excellence in Technology

Winner:      Gear’d, Kingsway School

Bayleys North Shore Excellence in Ethics

Winner:      Clean Ads, Westlake Boys High School

Spicers Excellence in Financial Management

Winner:      Axcistic, Rangitoto College

Massey University Excellence in Problem Solving

Winner:      Bath Buddies, Long Bay College

AMES Excellence in Personal Development

Winner:      Stuart Dawson, Rangitoto College

Benefitz Excellence in Motivation

Winner:    Le Penseur, Westlake Girls’ High School

Link Plas Excellence in Production

Winner:      Roundabout Dog Collars, Orewa College

Bartercard Excellence in Communication

Winners:    Axcistic, Rangitoto College

                      Pinnacle Innovations, Rangitoto College

                      Axiom, Westlake Boys High School

                      ProDG, Westlake Boys High School

                      Le Penseur, Westlake Girls High School

                      Clean Ads, Westlake Boys High School

                      Roundabout Dog Collars, Orewa College

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