ENterprising students at South Craven school have beaten other schools in the area by winning an award for their business know-how.

The aim of the Craven Area Young Enterprize competition was for students to successfully run their own business for nine months and give a presentation on it to an outside audience.

Local business people judging the contest included Charles Dent, managing director of Timothy Taylors Brewery in Keighley, David Cutter, SBS general manager, administration, Ian Brown, manager of Midland Bank in Skipton and Derek Dean, vocational chairman of Skipton rotary club.

The South Craven team under the leadership of managing director, 18 year old Max Casson made a number of things including beer mat clocks, ice and painted glass candles and picture frames. They also ran a school tuck shop. Max admitted that the group's success did not come without problems.

He says:"There were some communication problems and lots of arguments. Some people had big ideas that they were not going to finish off." The original group of 18 A-level and Business GNVQ students shrunk to eleven before their business got back on track.

The students named their team TK2 - the T being for 'transcend' and K2 after the mountain of the same name; this signified the students aiming to go above and beyond the mountain of achievement.

"I would definitely advise other students to do this if they have the opportunity," says Max, who is taking a GNVQ in business and considering a career in that field.

Now that TK2 have beaten other schools in the Craven area, they will enter the next round of the contest, the Strategic Young Enterprize final held in May in York, which means competing against schools in Harrogate, York, Scarborough and Rydale.

If they get through this stage, they will qualify for the national finals held in July. Prizes were presented to the students by the Settle-Carlisle Railway Company and Skipton Building Society; they included a model train made entirely of coal.

A student at South Craven school has become the first ever at the school to win a prestigious scholarship. Richard Jowitt, 16, has been presented with an Arkwright Scholarship to study A-level Design and Technology after being interviewed as a finalist at Nottingham Trent University.

The award, named after Sir Richard Arkwright, known as the 'father of the factory system' takes the form of a payment spread over two years, with half going to Richard and the other half to the Faculty of Design and Technology.

Craig Taylor, head of the faculty says: "I am thrilled for the lad and for the department. It is a big step forward in the right direction."

Young South Craven thespians stepped into the spotlight this week with stars in their eyes. South Craven Youth Theatre - a new drama company for people aged 14 or over - held auditions on Wednesday night for its first ever production, to be staged in July.

But only 20 places were left for youngsters eager to take centre stage. Auditions were held at South Craven Youth Club, which has its base in South Craven School, Cross Hills.

For more information contact Bernice Jones after 4pm on 01756 749756 or Janet Garford on 01535 631576.

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