Helen Clark and NASA - support Enterprise Olympics

Date: 19/6/2002: MEDIA RELEASE

Helen Clark and NASA - supporting Enterprise Olympics

Rt Hon Helen Clark will be opening the New Zealand division of the global Enterprise Olympics being held between the 24th and 27th of June.

The Prime Minister¡¦s opening address will launch New Zealand¡¦s participation in the event, which will involve New Zealand secondary school students competing against the best Enterprise students in the world over a 24 hour period.

The Enterprise Olympics is an international competition designed to test students entrepreneurial, creative, and innovation skills. High school students from nine countries including New Zealand, the United States, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Australia, England, Scotland and Wales will be participating in the challenge. It will be broadcast live on the internet (www.enterpriseolympics.co.nz) from mission control in Glasgow, Scotland.

Ten teams of eight students from schools throughout New Zealand will have 12 hours to develop a marketable product, including business plan and oral presentation. The business brief will not be known until the day of the event but is expected to combine science, technology, creativity, and entrepreneurship on a common theme of global significance.

New Zealand students will compete remotely via video conference from the City Council Chambers in New Plymouth. Their work will be judged by an international panel comprising astronauts and high level personnel from NASA, who will base themselves at mission control in Scotland for the event. The NASA judging panel will consist of:-

- Douglas Cooke - Head of Mars Exploration

- Kevin Mellet - Engineer and Rocket Scientist

- George Abbey - Director of Johnson Space Station

- Richard Linnehan - Astronaut

The New Zealand event has been organised by Enterprise New Zealand Trust and Venture Taranaki and is supported by a large variety of sponsors including Industry New Zealand, TSB Community Trust, The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme, 3M New Zealand, Telecom New Zealand, and Booker Spalding.

“It¡¦s all about encouraging students to become job creators rather than job seekers,” says Ken Baker, Executive Director, Enterprise New Zealand Trust.

“To develop a knowledge economy we need our young people to learn to compete effectively on a global scale. This requires encouragement and identification of enterprise skills at primary and secondary school levels rather than waiting until the students enter tertiary institutes where creativity and innovation is not necessarily at its peak. “

“During the Enterprise Olympics students learn how to work in teams, negotiate, become results focused, and discover how failure can become an opportunity,” says Mr Baker.

The New Zealand Young Enterprise students will travel to New Plymouth to compete in the Olympics. Schools from as far north as Bream Bay College (Northland) and as far south as Southland Girls High (Invercargill) will be competing against each other for the national title.

After the opening, the New Zealand students will present their business plans to a panel of national judges chaired by Guy Ockenden, National Director, Enterprise New Zealand Trust. The judges are Stuart Trundle, CEO, Venture Taranaki; Paul Butterworth, Acting Chairman, TSB Community Trust; Claire Johnstone, General Manager Central Region, Industry New Zealand; and Dai Jeremiah, Regional Manager, Telecom New Zealand Limited. The winning team will go on to represent New Zealand - presenting their business plan to the NASA judging panel two hours later.

Stuart Trundle, CEO Venture Taranaki, says: “The Enterprise Olympics is an extremely exciting event which the whole region has got behind. Every team on the New Zealand side has been sponsored by a corporate organisation that has provided us with their top executives to act as mentors for the students.

Each student competing in the Enterprise Olympics is already a winner because it¡¦s an amazing feat to get this far and represent your high school. We see the Enterprise Olympics as a fantastic opportunity to celebrate excellence and benchmark our entrepreneurial skills against the rest of the world. Sometimes New Zealanders forget just how incredibly successful our business people and businesses are - we¡¦re a truly innovative nation and our young students will be tough competition”, says Mr Trundle.

Claire Johnstone, General Manager Industry New Zealand Central Region, says the Enterprise Olympics are a good example of “private and public sectors working together to foster a culture in education where business is seen as a positive contributor to society and a worthwhile career aspiration for students. Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential for our future economic prosperity”.

A group of Industry New Zealand Business Development Advisers will be attending the event to share their expertise with the participants.

The selected New Zealand team will present their business plan to the NASA judging panel at 12.15am New Zealand time on Thursday 27th June. Judges will announce the international winner at approximately 2am.

The Enterprise Olympics is open to all High School students who participate in the Young Enterprise Scheme administered by Enterprise New Zealand Trust.

For further information contact:

- Guy Ockenden, National Director and Acting CEO, Enterprise New Zealand Trust

Ph: 04) 570 0452

Email:guy.ockenden@enzt.co.nz

- Stuart Trundle, Chief Executive, Venture Taranaki

Ph: 06) 759 5150

Email: ceo@venture.org.nz

- Claire Johnstone, General Manager Central Region, Industry New Zealand

Ph: 04) 910 4642

Email: claire.johnstone@industrynz.govt.nz

Notes for Editors

What are the Enterprise Olympics?

The Enterprise Olympics is an international business competition for senior High School students. Open to all High School students who participate in the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), the event provides the opportunity for Young Enterprisers to compete against their peers from around the globe.

Which New Zealand schools are competing?

Taranaki High Schools

- Francis Douglas Memorial College

- Hawera High School

- New Plymouth Boys High School

- New Plymouth Girls High School

- Sacred Heart Girls College

- Spotswood College

- St Mary's Diocesan School

National High Schools

- Avondale College, Auckland

- Massey High School, Auckland

- Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland

- King¡¦s College, Auckland

- Mt Roskill Grammar, Auckland

- Ashburton College, Ashburton

- Catholic Cathedral College, Christchurch

- Christchurch Girls High School, Christchurch

- Gisbourne Girls High School, Gisborne

- Gisbourne Boys High School, Gisborne

- Napier Girls High School, Napier

- Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Ara Hou, Clive - Hawkes Bay

- Nga Tawa School, Marton

- Palmerston North Girls High School, Palmerston North

- Nelson College for Girls, Nelson

- Bream Bay College, Bream Bay - Northland

- Whangaroa College, Northland

- Kamo High School, Whangarei

- Logan Park High School, Dunedin

- Columba College, Dunedin

- James Hargest High School, Invercargill

- Southland Girls High School, Invercargill

- Menzies College, Windham - Southland

- Tauranga Girls College, Tauranga

- Mount Maunganui College, Mt Maunganui

- Hamilton Girls¡¦ High School, Hamilton

- Hamilton Boys¡¦ High School, Hamilton

- Sherley Alternative Learning, Hamilton

- Wellington College, Wellington

- St Patrick¡¦s (Town), Wellington

- Tawa College, Wellington

- Edgcumbe College, Tauranga

- Whakatane High School, Whakatane

When does the International event begin?

At 10pm on June 25th, the global Enterprise Olympics will begin with the announcement of a global business "challenge" from the International Space Station. Countries have 24 hours to complete the challenge. At the end of that 24 hour period one New Zealand team will compete against the eight other countries participating. The international champion will be announced at approximately 2am New Zealand time on Thursday 27 June.

What countries are competing?

New Zealand Scotland Wales Russia

Australia Spain USA South Africa

England

What do the teams have to do?

Teams are required to develop a product according to the nature of the challenge and prepare a business plan. A concise two page summary of the business plan plus digital photos or PowerPoint diagrams of the product must be submitted to the international judges. A three minute oral presentation is also required. This will be recorded live and web-streamed onto a nominated web site for all countries to view simultaneously.

How is the New Zealand Team selected?

The New Zealand Team will be selected via an intense National Competition. Eighty Young Enterprisers (40 from Taranaki and 40 from around New Zealand) will assemble in New Plymouth. The students will be separated into teams of eight. Each team will complete the international challenge and present to a panel of New Zealand Judges before the international presentations are due to start. A winning team will be selected to represent New Zealand.

Who are the National Judges?

- Stuart Trundle, Chief Executive, Venture Taranaki

- Paul Butterworth, Acting Chairman, TSB Community Trust

- Claire Johnstone, General Manager, Central Region, Industry New Zealand

- Dai Jeremiah, Regional Manager, Telecom New Zealand Limited

The judging panel will be chaired by Guy Ockenden, National Director, Enterprise New Zealand Trust

Where is the event being held?

New Zealand's national competition is held in New Plymouth, in the New Plymouth District Council Chambers, Civic Centre. The Glasgow Science Centre in Scotland is where the global aspect of the event will be coordinated. The event will be launched from the international space platform and judged by personnel from the Houston Space Centre, Texas.

Where did the idea for the Enterprise Olympics come from?

The Olympics as an idea evolved from an initiative called the Student Company Achievers Forum (SCAF). SCAF was originally developed to extend the skills of students involved in the Young Enterprise Scheme.

What sort of Technology will be used?

A full production unit including web casting technology will be used during this event with dedicated personnel to manage and operate the equipment. There will be a centrally managed website with dedicated pages for each participating country including HTML hot buttons to the websites of national organisers.

Will the event be recorded professionally for media purposes?

Fifth World Production proposes to use local broadcasters where possible to film each national competition, with the rushes being supplied to Fifth World who will then make the programme. This will allow national organisers, Venture Taranaki and Enterprise New Zealand Trust, to use the footage of their event for their own purposes e.g. for a locally broadcast programme or for news and current affairs coverage.

Who are the Sponsors?

Main Sponsors

- Enterprise New Zealand Trust

- Venture Taranaki

- Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme

- Industry New Zealand

- TSB Community Trust

- 3M New Zealand

- Booker Spalding

Regional Mission Control

- New Plymouth District Council

Technology Sponsor

- Telecom New Zealand Limited

Function Sponsors

- New Plymouth District Council - Youth Council

- Shell Todd Oil Services Ltd

Corporate Sponsors

- PricewaterhouseCoopers

- The Daily News

- Methanex New Zealand Ltd

- Govett Quilliam

- Westgate - Port Taranaki

- The Radio Works

- Dow AgroSciences

- Hutchins & Dick

- PowerCo

- Western Institute of Technology Taranaki (W.I.T.T)

Programme of Events

Monday 24th June

6.00pm

Briefing

Venue

Venture Taranaki Offices

Teacher and Mentor Briefing

Facilitator: Guy Ockenden, National Director Young Enterprise, Enterprise New Zealand Trust

7.15pm

Function

***Venue

New Plymouth District Council Chambers - Civic Centre

Welcome to The Enterprise Olympics Function

Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Helen Clark (via video conference)

Tuesday 25th June

8.15am

Registration

Venue

New Plymouth District Council Chambers - Civic Centre

8.50am

Speaker

Guy Ockenden

9.00am

Guest speaker

Topic: Business Planning

Howard Moore

Business Development Advisor

Industry New Zealand

9.30am

Group breakout

Workshop

Students disperse into their eight groups and workshop about the business plan

10.30am

Guest speaker

Topic: Environment and Business

Raechel Cummins

Senior Manager

PricewaterhouseCoopers - Wellington

11.30am

Group breakout

Workshop

Students disperse into their eight groups and workshop about the environment and business

12.00 noon

LUNCH BREAK

1.00pm

Guest speaker

Topic: Marketing and Promotion

Ashley Smith, Director, The Ideas Company

1.30pm

Group breakout

Workshop

Students disperse into their eight groups and workshop about the marketing and production of their business

2.30pm

Guest speaker

Topic: Finance

Kevin Fenwick

Finance Manager - Onshore Assets

Shell Todd Oil Services Ltd

3.00pm

Group breakout

Workshop

Students disperse into their eight groups and workshop about the financial aspects of their business

4.00pm

Presentations

Report back: Each group of students gives a three minute presentation

5.00pm

Summation/Finish

Facilitator: Guy Ockenden

EVENING

9.00pm

Arrival time

Venue

New Plymouth District Council Chambers - Civic Centre

9.15pm

Business introductions

Students split into ten teams and meet with their business host

9.45pm

Opening Ceremony

Live video link up: International Challenge launched from the Glasgow Science Centre

10.15pm

Astronauts

Live video link up: Students have the opportunity to interview two of the NASA personnel

Doug Cooke - head of Mars exploration

Rick Linnehan - astronaut, and veteran of three space flights (43 days) and three space walks (21 hours)

10.30pm

Finish

Wednesday 26th June

8.00am

National Challenge

Students are dispersed throughout New Plymouth in 10 corporations boardrooms/meeting rooms to complete the national challenge

8.00pm

National judging panel

Stuart Trundle -Chief Executive, Venture Taranaki

Claire Johnstone - General Manager Central Region, Industry New Zealand

Paul Butterworth - Acting Chairman, TSB Community Trust

Dai Jeremiah, Regional Manager, Telecom New Zealand Ltd

National Judging

Venue

New Plymouth District Council Chamber - Civic Centre.

Each team of students will give a three minute presentation to the judges

9.30pm

National winner announced

Judges announcement of the winning national team

10.00pm

Live video link up

***Live video link up with other participating countries (countries yet to be confirmed)

10.00pm

National winners preparation

National winners preparation for their presentation to the international judging panel

11.00pm

Results posted

National winner results posted on the website

12.00 midnight

NASA Presentation

***Presentation to NASA via webcast (each country to be given a specific timeslot)

Thursday 27th June

2.00am

Big announcement

NASA to announce The Enterprise Olympic champions!

Closure

Sleep

Students go home to get some well deserved sleep

8.00am

Farewell Breakfast

Venue

The Devon Hotel

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