October 2019: Gort Community School, has been announced as the overall winner at Junior Achievement Ireland’s (JAI) inaugural ‘The Entrepreneurial School Awards’ (TESA). The school was recognised for its outstanding commitment to entrepreneurship education at the TESA Summit hosted by Microsoft.

As winners of the ‘TESA School of the Year – Microsoft Award’, Gort Community School will receive a prize to the value of €5,000, to further support its work in entrepreneurship education. Nominees of the school will travel to Helsinki to represent Ireland at the Entrepreneurial Schools European conference. The other category award winners, based on enrolment size, were: primary schools Darley National School, Cavan; Our Lady of Consolation School, Dublin 5, and St. Ursula’s Primary School, Waterford. Mercy College Sligo was awarded the top prize for its size among second level schools.

Sharon Connolly, IT Co ordinator, from Gort Community School representing their school on the day, commented on their win, “Well done to all our fabulous, innovative, creative and dedicated students and teachers who work so well together. Together we create not just an excellent academic environment, but by sharing opportunities & experiences, we develop valuable life-long skills. Today was made possible through the hard work and commitment of entrepreneurial students in Gort CS, with support from so many dedicated parents and the local community.”

94 schools from across Ireland were awarded TESA certification at the Summit hosted by Microsoft to mark each school’s commitment to providing entrepreneurship education. The TESA Summit was an ideal opportunity both to celebrate the work of educators across Ireland in developing entrepreneurial skills in students and to share best practice in a unique and inspiring venue.

Pictured at The Entrepreneurial School Awards are Ms. Connolly and Ms. Collins from Gort Community School, the overall winner of The Entrepreneurial School Awards (TESA) with Helen Raftery, JAI Chief Executive, Joanne Morrissey, Director of HR, Microsoft.