In a first for the Isle of Wight, Carisbrook and Medina College’s Wild Wax Melt team have made it to the national finals and are now shortlisted for Young Enterprise’s ‘Company of the Year’ award.
Wild Wax Melts is run by Year 10 students Freya Eason and Sophie Sanders from Carisbrooke College, and Archie Smith from Medina College.
Three teenagers develop, manufacture and sell environmentally friendly wax melts and their products have become a popular fixture at trade events on the Isle of Wight.
They play against older teams and have already won best team awards across the island, in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.
Wild Wax Melts are Freya Eason and Sophie Sanders from Carisbrooke College and Archie Smith from Medina College. (Image: IWEF)
At the South East Regional Final, held at Samsung Kings Cross venue in London, participants had to present their company reports, answer questions in interviews, create promotional videos and deliver live presentations to both the judges and an audience.
They were facing stiff competition from teams from Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex, Kent and the Channel Islands.
They have already won awards in the financial, digital and marketing categories under the guidance of their business adviser, Tracy Osborne, director of fundraising and marketing.
Activities at St. Mary’s Convent, Quor.
The team are also supported by Sarah Coetzee and Zoe McGehee from the Isle of Wight Education Federation (IWEF) Careers team, who currently run the school.
IWEF called the students “inspirational in terms of their entrepreneurial spirit, energy, dedication and work ethic” and described them as “fantastic ambassadors for the island.”
The national final will be held on June 6th, with the winner advancing to the European final in Sicily.
The Isle of Wight Young Enterprise Programme is run in partnership with Ed-WISE.