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Apollo Dragons coach Woodside winners

Monday, 1 February 2010

Apollo Education is working with the winners of Woodside High School’s recent Dragons Den competition to help them bring their innovation to life.


Following entrepreneurial TV show format, Woodside Healthy Youngers’ concept, The Cool and Healthy Vending Machine, has received £1000 funding from My Bank, the school bank run by pupils of Woodside. Further funding and business knowledge support in developing their business plan is being offered by the Dragons who were wowed by the groups’ enthusiasm and the effort they put into researching their target audience and competition. Their idea was to have a vending machine that provides a healthy alternative to crisps, chocolate and fizzy drinks. By utilising the schools’ kitchen and staff, this machine would not only provide its customers with healthier snacks, but would also be more cost efficient than the existing ‘junk food’ option.  

Community Investment Manager, Christine Lemmon, and Divisional Director, Duncan Clark were invited by Woodside to join the team of Dragons. The lead Dragon, Marilyn Donahue is also founder of the Sustainable Education Project (SEP), an organisation which helps teachers and students develop hands-on projects for their schools. Marilyn set the challenge for the students, asking them to look at; water energy; minimising and recycling waste and litter; transport and healthy living; and biodiversity in school grounds.  

Divisional Director, Duncan Clark: said: “The students did an incredible job putting together projects and delivered thought provoking presentations. It was a pleasure to be invited to be a Dragon and I look forward to helping the winners make their vision a reality.” 

Zara Cheng, teacher and member of the Business and Enterprise Team at Woodside, said: “Transforming a vision into a reality is every entrepreneur's dream and this will no doubt enthuse and motivate students to come up with even more innovative ideas. Training them to have an enterprising, entrepreneurial and aspiring attitude is what this competition is all about.”

The students did an incredible job putting together projects and delivered thought provoking presentations. It was a pleasure to be invited to be a Dragon and I look forward to helping the winners make their vision a reality.

Duncan Clark, Apollo Education Divisional Director

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