Members of the team are Adam Falconer, Assistant Managing Director, Emma Davidson, Managing Director and Robert Hendren, Operations Director.
A group of enterprising Belmont Academy pupils have reached the Scottish finals of the Young Enterprise Scotland Company Programme awards. This follows their triumph at the Ayrshire finals, which were held at the Park Hotel in Kilmarnock, where they picked up four awards − Best Report, Best Presentation, Best Trade Stand and were named as Ayrshire Company of the Year 2012.
Up against some very strong competition from groups of young people across Ayrshire the Belmont pupils clearly displayed the outstanding qualities that helped them to create their successful company.
The Belmont Academy's Young Enterprise Group was formed as part of the Young Enterprise Company Programme. The programme gives students aged 15 to 19 years the opportunity to set up and run their own real company over the course of one academic year.
The group of 15 S6 Belmont Academy students named their Young Enterprise company Iconic, elected a board of directors from among their peers, raised share capital, marketed and financed their product – a book.
The children's book sends out a clear and very important message to two to six year olds – being different is acceptable. The book has proved very popular with children and parents.
The book was professionally printed in high definition colour on quality paper. Costing just £5.99 the book has been purchased by many primary schools in South Ayrshire and employees across the Council.
Margo Williamson, Head of Curriculum and Service Improvement for South Ayrshire Council said: "The experience that the students from Belmont Academy have gained in creating and producing The Little Blue Frog is invaluable. They have enhanced their existing skills and quickly learned new ones to bring this project to fruition.
"Learning the theory of how businesses are created and operate is one thing, but putting all of that into practice clearly demonstrates to the pupils the hard work, ingenuity and dedication required to make a business successful. The students have developed their enterprise knowledge and understanding, skills and attributes in a business context. In addition they have enhanced their creativity, communication and leadership skills.
"The Little Blue Frog is an outstanding creation with an important message and I am positive the success of the Belmont Academy students will inspire other young people to take part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme."
Emma Davidson, Managing Director of Iconic said: "Young Enterprise has been an incredible journey for all the members of Iconic. We are overjoyed at our win as all the hard work over the past year has finally paid off. Each member is determined to continue to work hard and proceed towards the Scottish Finals. The Little Blue Frog is unique and we include the concept of 'being different is acceptable', which links with the project of inclusion, supported by Curriculum for Excellence. Our ideas are continuing to grow and we are very excited by the prospects of Iconic.
"We feel as a team Young Enterprise has improved our confidence, and we have learned how to communicate effectively with one another and with outside agencies. Studying business management and accounting has definitely helped many of us, especially when making decisions about the business. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our link teacher, Mrs Susan Glass, Principal Teacher of Business Education at Belmont Academy and our business adviser Mr Stephen McNab, GE Caledonian for their continuous advice, expertise, support and most of all encouragement. Without them we wouldn't have been able to succeed as well as Iconic has. We cannot wait to share our product with a bigger audience. The sky's the limit for Iconic."
As Ayrshire Company of the Year 2012 the Belmont Iconic team will now go forward to compete in the Scottish Finals in June, which will be held at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow, The Scottish winner will then compete in the National Finals in London later this year.
Iconic team members are Emma Davidson, Caitlin Bowbeer, Adam Falconer, Elaine Gatherer, Robert Hendren, Danielle Hendren, Adam Kidd, Ben Mackay, Ross McKelvie, Hannah Sosna, Kyle McCormick, Rachel Moore, Gillian Paterson, Greg Telfer and Ralph Wiseman.
The Little Blue Frog book can be purchased from the Business Education Department at Belmont Academy either by cash or cheques made payable to Belmont Academy GP fund. The group are currently exploring opportunities to take the book to the wider market.
For more information about the Young Enterprise Group log on to http://company.young-enterprise.org.uk/company/