Pupils Sam Craghill, Isabella Jordan and Breagha Lannigan from Clyde Valley High School brought their barista business called Valley Grind to the Young Enterprise Scottish Finals at Hampden Park.
The students earned their place in the final after being named Lanarkshire Company of the Year in April.
At the finals, they took part in a challenging interview before presenting their business journey, key learnings and future ambitions to an audience of more than 200 competitors, teachers and industry professionals.
The trio went on to win the Young Enterprise Award for Innovation, recognising the group’s “creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and strong business acumen”.
Clyde Valley High School pupils took their barista business, Valley Grind, to the Young Enterprise Scottish Finals at Hampden Park (Image: North Lanarkshire Council)
Sam Craghill, one of the pupils, said: “Being part of Valley Grind through Young Enterprise was one of the best parts of my time at Clyde Valley.
“Supporting the school coffee shop gave us real experience of working as a team and helped build my confidence and communication skills.
“Getting to the Scottish finals was such an amazing experience, and winning the Innovation Award made all the hard work worth it.
“The programme has given me lots of skills and experiences that I’ll definitely use in the future.”
Craig Thomson and Sophie Morrison, lead teachers, praised the pupils for their hard work.
They said: “This year’s Young Enterprise group has shown outstanding commitment, creativity and teamwork throughout the programme.
“Watching their confidence grow from the first meeting to presenting at the Scottish finals at Hampden and winning the Innovation Award has been incredibly rewarding.
“They should all be extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
Sandra Gilfillan, head teacher of Clyde Valley High School, also praised the team’s efforts.
She said: “This success highlights the ambition and talent within Clyde Valley and demonstrates that, while the school may be small, our pupils continue to achieve on a national stage.
“I am absolutely delighted to celebrate the achievement of our barista group, whose creativity and dedication have earned them a national Young Enterprise Innovation Award.
“Their success is a testament to their entrepreneurial spirit, teamwork and commitment to excellence.”
