Gingerbread Surfboards Win Young Enterprise Dragons' Den

Rangi Ruru has taken out the top prize in the 2016 Canterbury Regional Dragons’ Den awards.

The team of Year 13 students from Rangi Ruru were named winners of the competition on the 9th of June at Ara, (formerly CPIT). The girl’s company, named SURFSWELL, produced surfboards made of gingerbread and hypothetically proposed to sell these through BP stations nationwide, in support of New Zealand Surf Lifesaving.

SURFSWELL’S Company Directors, Christine van Til (CEO), Sujin Jung, Grace Soong, Nicole Jackson and Lily Lee (all Year 13) pitched their business idea to a group of judges in the “Dragon’s Den”, run along the same lines as the popular British television programme of the same name.

From the desire to contribute to a worthy cause, SURFSWELL was inspired by BP’s collaboration with New Zealand Surf Lifesaving, and as sponsors of the Young Enterprise programme, the team saw a natural alignment.

Fellow Rangi Ruru competitors Alex Summerfield (CEO), Danielle Bussell, Annabelle Wilson and Jayne Barclay (Year 12), were also successful in winning the Business Operations Award for their business ‘BASICALLY which is designing and producing Rangi Ruru crop tops and undies.

Teacher-in-charge of Young Enterprise, Jacqui Griffith has commended the energy and enthusiasm of the girls in preparing for this competition.

“The girls have a number of other commitments to consider when they enter Young Enterprise. In particular the CEOs have a huge responsibility coordinating their teams and overseeing all development. They’ve done a mammoth job exceptionally well,” said Mrs Griffith.

More than 60 teams competed in the Canterbury region preliminaries and 36 of those were then selected to go through to the final rounds. Rangi Ruru was the only school to have five teams in the finals.

“Our teams presented their pitches to the Dragons with confidence and poise and represented Rangi Ruru superbly in their delivery,” added Mrs Griffith.

‘Surfwell’ will now present an Annual Review at the end of Term 3 which is used to determine the final awards. This encompasses a summary of their planning, intentions, realisations, financial management and prospects. The national awards are presented are at the end of October.

Other Rangi Ruru finalists included:

PAPER PROJECT

Product:  Interactive wall prints

Directors: Georgia Hawley (CEO), Lucy Glass, Annelise Thomson, Jaimee Miller, Nicole Smith

SAIL

Product:  School Starter backpacks for underprivileged youngsters

Directors: Maisie Nattrass (CEO), Hanna Malloch, Danni Ackland, Gabi Newman

Girls2Girls

Product: Leather tassels to support Endometriosis

Directors: Olivia Mander (CEO), Meg Dutton, Amelia Bryden, Georgia Hattrill

Check Rangi Ruru out here http://www.rangiruru.school.nz