Kildare schoolkids win national award for craft business
Caoimhe Murphy, left, and Sarah Heavey are pictured with some of the jewellery items they made Photo: Jerry Kennelly
A KILDARE primary school was one of 13 national winners at the Junior Entrepreneur Programme (JEP) announced in Kerry this week.
Creativity sparkled at Scoil Bhríde in Lackagh, just outside Kildare town where fifth and sixth-class students earned the ‘Dynamic Designers’ Award for their business ‘Resinate’.
Their handcrafted range of resin jewellery, coasters, bookmarks and candle holders transformed basic materials into colourful, one-of-a-kind creations.
The young designers mixed resin and hardener before adding dried flowers, glitter, pigments and other decorative touches to produce unique pieces. They quickly learned that great craftsmanship takes patience, but the finished products were worth the wait.
Heartened by the customer response to Resinate at the Monasterevin Easter Craft Fair, the class continued to produce and sell their products, including earrings, necklaces, coasters, and candleholders.
The business has already generated €450 in profit, with products still on sale. The class demonstrated that creativity, attention to detail and entrepreneurial flair are a winning combination.
Enterprise Ireland has supported JEP since 2020 under its Primary Schools Entrepreneurship Initiative, highlighting the vital role of entrepreneurship in shaping Ireland’s future and the importance of fostering this culture from an early age".
