Seaford College’s Young Enterprise team, Summit, has swept the board at the Arun and Chichester Area Young Enterprise Finals, winning the Best Business Plan, Best Product, Best Presentation and Best Company Prizes.

Summit produced a cookbook called Kidz Cook! with recipes for kids, by kids, that has proved so popular that the team sold out of copies, and have had to order a second print run.

Whilst gaining material success, doubling shareholders’ money and making a profit, the team are extremely mindful of Young Enterprise’s role as a charity, which gives 250,000 young people each year the opportunity to realise their potential through a range of practical enterprise programmes. Tom Newman, Managing Director of Summit, said: “For lots of teams it’s all about making a profit. But Young Enterprise is a charity and we wanted to do something that was beneficial for others.”

Summit worked with pupils from Seaford College Prep School to develop recipes to create a colourful and engaging cookbook that will encourage children to venture into the kitchen and have a go at cooking. Head of Design Jack Jamieson worked tirelessly to produce the cookbook, creating a final product that was praised for its ‘professional quality and finish.’

Team Summit is made up of Jack Jamieson, Sam Lowndes, Keaton Smout, Tom Newman, Freddie Miller and Wolf Labeji. They explained how they have learnt so much from the Young Enterprise programme: from organisational to teamwork skills, from being able to present in front of a large audience to learning all about shares. Jack Jamieson said: “The only presentation I’d done before was in front of a class of 16, and then we presented in front of 300 people on a proper stage with blinding lights in our faces. But we were fine; it is easier to talk about something if you are passionate about it.”

Team Summit are certainly passionate about business and pursuing a career in it. Head of Marketing, Sales, Press and Publicity Keaton Smout said: ‘Young Enterprise has persuaded me to go into marketing, it’s really enjoyable and the programme is a really good stepping stone. I wrote the slogan and the script for our advertising campaign, and they’re skills that’ll come in useful.”

Jack Jamieson hopes to carry the business on and into university, and then to do an MBA, comparing the Young Enterprise programme to a ‘business apprenticeship.’ Tom Newman commented: “Now if we do decide to start a business, it’s not as daunting as it seems.”

Summit went on to the Sussex Finals where they competed against 75 other teams. The judges highlighted how it was a very close run contest, and although Summit did not repeat the success of their previous Finals, they and their product received high praise from the judges and other contestants. Jack Jamieson won the £10 prize, which required participants to explain how they would start a business with just £10. Jack said that he would buy seeds and cuttings and build a forest, then sell some of his produce on, spending little with a huge return.

MD Tom Newman said: “We were over the moon at the Arun and Chichester Finals; what our team has done is exceptional. We were voted Best Trade Stand by the public at a local Trade Fair, people just walked in and it hit them. I am really proud of what we have achieved; we are the most successful Seaford Young Enterprise Team for seven years.”

Seaford College Headmaster John Green also praised the efforts of team Summit: “They have done incredibly well and shown tremendous entrepreneurial spirit. I was pleased to see that the team had a social responsibility ethos as well as a profit making strategy. They have shown real time management skills balancing their studies alongside their commitment to the Young Enterprise Scheme. This is another great example of the opportunities at Seaford to be part of a team which I believe is fundamental to personal development.”

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