Presenting a business idea to a panel of entrepreneurs on the BBC's Dragon's Den has hard-nosed business people trembling at the knees.

But one teenage team of aspiring tycoons took it all in their stride to win a national schools enterprise competition.

Seven pupils from Littlehampton Community School were awarded a glass star-shaped trophy in recognition of their outstanding efforts at the final of the Yell Make Your Mark Challenge in London this week.

Year 10 pupils Jordan Wade, Jules Tennant, Jess Matthews, Michael McConville, James Askew, Sarah Kempson and Rachel O'Brien designed a new fruit smoothie with strawberries, bananas and chocolate and presented a 90-second marketing pitch to a Dragon's Den-style panel of judges.

Their Chocpromise drink and slick advertising campaign impressed judges - including Ivan Massow, who grew up in Rottingdean and was mentor to the winner of Channel 4's Make Me A Million, and the BBC Breakfast business presenter Declan Curry - as well as their business studies teacher James Collett.

Mr Collett said: "I knew they were very good but the final was very intense. I was stressed out just watching them. It was a difficult campaign and they looked mentally shattered at the start of the second day. Fortunately, they pulled it back together in time.

"They worked very hard and really deserved to win. I'm very proud of them."

The teenagers fought off teams from 266 schools across the country and are ready to do it again.

Mr Collett said: "They've got the bug now and want to enter every competition they can."

He said the school in Hill Road, which has specialist status for business and enterprise, also took part in ProShare, another national schools competition in which pupils watch the stock market and invest imaginary money in shares.

Alun Michael, Minister for Industry and the Regions, who closed the event with a speech to students, said: "The winners and all the schools that competed have done amazingly well.

"I am sure I have been shaking hands with the Richard Bransons and Anita Roddicks of the future. I hope these awards will inspire our next generation of entrepreneurs to turn their bright ideas into successful business ventures."

The two-day final for the competition, organised by Enterprise Insight, was held at the Energy Clinic in central London and followed several regional heats in November.

In the heats, the Littlehampton team worked on an advertising campaign to sell sea-water souvenirs.

Friday, December 9, 2005