Havelock North students start successful business

Colour Hawke's Bay members Rebecca Jackson, left, Kendyll Miller, Imke Kitchin and Marleen Slabbekoorn are shown with mentor Paul Collits.

A business started by a quartet of Havelock North High School students has stayed within the lines to be named the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) Company of the Year.

The Year 12 students involved with creating Colour Hawke's Bay, a colouring book based on Hawke's Bay businesses, were honoured last week at the YES Hawke's Bay Regional Awards at EIT. Tamatea High School student Connor Beere was named the Entrepreneur of the Year.

Rebecca Jackson, Kendyll Miller, Imke Kitchin and Marleen Slabbekoorn will present their Dragon's Den pitch at the PAN PAC Hawke's Bay Business Awards on December 1 as a warmup for the national YES awards on December 6 in Wellington.

"They have been innovative, focused and determined throughout the YES year, and I am excited to go with them to both awards in Hawke's Bay and Wellington," says Hawke's Bay YES regional coordinator Karla Lee.

YES allows the public to view future businesses in their infancy. With the support of local sponsors, such as Napier City and Hastings District councils, EIT and ANZ, the programme enables senior high school students to create, develop, market and sell real products and services.

Connor was chosen for his work with Tihi Plus, which produces cheeseboards from recycled French oak staves. More than 220 Hawke's Bay students over 53 teams participated in YES this year and the awards ceremony honoured all of them.

"All students deserve to celebrate their hard work at the end of the year and this night was all about them," says Karla. One student from each of the 10 participating high schools presented a two-minute speech to an audience of more than 160 people, detailing their team, product and school.

"Our youth are capable of so much, and it was fantastic for guests to see just how amazing these young entrepreneurs truly are," says Karla.