Young Achievers of the Week: Young entrepreneurs

Otumoetai College young entrepreneurs Phoebe Alder, Natalie Dawick, Amia Wharry and Adriana Vickers. Photo/John Borren

This week there is a twist in the Bay of Plenty Times' Young Achiever of the Week series, as a group of young enterpreneurs deserved recognition for their success.

A group of young entrepreneurs at Otumoetai College could win a prize worth more than $20,000 if their interactive Te Reo Maori learning resource for children impresses national judges.

Regional Young Enterprise Supreme Award winners Phoebe Adler, Adriana Vickers, Amia Wharry and Natalie Dawick will travel to Wellington on December 6 for the National Young Enterprise Competition.

The group, called Wider Horizons, have produced an interactive Te Reo Maori learning resource for children aged two and older.
The Tau Mohio Number Knowledge education number set in Te Reo Maori contains 20 numbered flashcards with illustrations from Year 10 student Grace Finnigan.

Phoebe Adler said the team would be proud to win the national competition.

"Throughout this year we have grown so much as a team and accomplished a lot," Alder said.

"We all worked really hard and overcame many challenges so winning nationals would be an amazing achievement and reward for us all."

Their prize would be $3000 for the group, $2000 for their school, and a $5000 scholarship to Massey University Business School for each member.

"We plan to use the money to invest into our company for next year's product," Alder said.

The young entrepreneur said she had joined the Young Enterprise group for an opportunity to create an original product and run a business.

"One of the main things we have all learnt is how to work together as a team, taking on board each other's strengths and weaknesses, and how to compromise," she said.

Alder said she enjoyed the idea of exposing their product to the wider community to help people gain a better understanding of the Maori language.

"One day we would all love to work in business or own a business ourselves," she said. "We will utilise the knowledge that we have learned this year into the real world when we are older."

It is the first time the group has entered the competition and was thankful to their customers' support which had helped them get to nationals.