Luke’s ‘Headphone Helpers’ wins Student Enterprise Award
‘HEADPHONE HELPERS’ SECURE NATIONAL AWARD FOR KILCOOLE STUDENT
A patent-pending product for earphones has landed a major national award for Luke Byrne of Colaiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole.
Luke created a silicone wearable band to avoid earphones from getting tangled and won the top prize at the Student Enterprise Awards National Finals in Croke Park, with support from the Local Enterprise Office Wicklow.
So far his product has sold over 700 units and is stocked at 20 different retail outlets.
Luke’s teacher, Ruairi Farrell, says the young student put in a huge amount of work into his project.
‘Everyone is absolutely over the moon at his achievement. We are all very proud. To finish top out of over 22,000 students is a remarkable achievement. It’s great for Luke and it’s great for the school as well.
‘Luke started the project last October while in Transition Year as part of the Enterprise module. He had to set up his own mini-company. He runs himself and that is how he came up with the idea. When he was out running he was sick of his ear phones falling out of his ears and getting tangled up.
‘He got a bit of cotton and got his mother to stitch it together to make a prototype. Then he got an architect to draw up a design and sent that out to a manufacturer in China who created a silicon version.
‘He designed all the packaging and boxes himself as well. He saw the whole project all the way through.
‘ The headphones are already stocked in 20 different retail shops and so far Luke has sold 770 units. Patent is also currently pending on the product.’
Co-ordinated by all 31 Local Enterprise Offices across the Local Authorities Network, the 14th Annual Student Enterprise Awards National Final in Croke Park saw 201 student entrepreneurs from 69 schools showcase 76 different student enterprises, across Junior, Intermediate and Senior Categories.
A record-breaking 22,000 students from 620 schools took part in the programme this year.
Speaking at the awards ceremony in Croke Park, Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council Bryan Doyle congratulated Luke, saying ‘ the judges were very impressed with Luke’s ability to identify a problem and develop a solution that has real commercial potential.
‘ The Student Enterprise Programme was set up to encourage more young people, like Luke, to start a business and to foster a more enterprising culture for start-ups. A record number of students and schools took part in this year’s programme, showing a growing interest in enterprise in the classroom.’
He added ‘I would also like to pay tribute to the Principal of Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, Shane Eivers and to Luke’s teacher, Ruairi Farrell and to Luke’s family, for all their support for the Student Enterprise Programme.’
Luke’s product is aimed at earphone users and is a simple design. Headphone Helpers are made from silicone, with two small loops at the end of the bands. The users earphones slip up through the holes and the band rests comfortably around the back of the neck of the user.
Also representing County Wicklow at the 2016 awards last Wednesday was second year student from Colaiste Chill Mhantain, Colleen Brophy of Jaconi Crafts.
Colleen was competing in the Intermediate Category with her Minecraft themed craft business. It is the second consecutive year that teacher Margaret McCrossan has brought students to Croke Park – a great achievement.
By coincidence, the beautiful trophy that Luke brings back home to Wicklow was designed by none other than the award-winning Bianco Divito from Arklow.