After being named Lanarkshire Company of the Year in April, three Clyde Valley High School pupils took their barista business, Valley Grind, to the Young Enterprise Scottish Finals at Hampden Park.
The trio of Sam Craghill, Isabella Jordan and Breagha Lannigan competed against some of the best young entrepreneurs from across Scotland.
As part of the competition, they took part in a challenging interview before presenting their business journey, key learnings and future ambitions to an audience of more than 200 fellow competitors, teachers and industry professionals.
They were awarded the prestigious Young Enterprise Award for Innovation, recognising the group’s creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and strong business acumen.
The achievement is particularly impressive given they were up against 125 Young Enterprise companies from across Scotland, securing a place among just 14 finalists.
“Being part of Valley Grind through Young Enterprise was one of the best parts of my time at Clyde Valley,” said pupil Sam Craghill. “Supporting the school coffee shop gave us real experience of working as a team and helped build my confidence and communication skills.
“Getting to the Scottish finals was such an amazing experience, and winning the Innovation Award made all the hard work worth it. The programme has given me lots of skills and experiences that I’ll definitely use in the future.”
Lead teachers Craig Thomson and Sophie Morrison said: “This year’s Young Enterprise group has shown outstanding commitment, creativity and teamwork throughout the programme.
“Watching their confidence grow from the first meeting to presenting at the Scottish finals at Hampden and winning the Innovation Award has been incredibly rewarding. They should all be extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
Sandra Gilfillan, Head Teacher of Clyde Valley High School, praised the pupils, saying: “This success highlights the ambition and talent within Clyde Valley and demonstrates that, while the school may be small, our pupils continue to achieve on a national stage.
“I am absolutely delighted to celebrate the achievement of our barista group, whose creativity and dedication have earned them a national Young Enterprise Innovation Award.
“Their success is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, teamwork and commitment to excellence. They are an inspiration to our entire school community, and we look forward to seeing all that they achieve in the future.”