Presentation to Harry McCann: Outstanding Contribution to Business and Entrepreneurship

Speech by Ms Denise Farrell.

Today, the business department would like to present a very special award to an exceptionally gifted business student. The award is for outstanding contribution to business and entrepreneurship.

It is important that we recognise Harry McCann today, who on his first day into Scoil Mhuire, Clane, chose to study business and is taking Business and Economics for the Leaving Certificate. Harry truly is an exceptionally talented entrepreneur.

Harry founded his first business at the age of 15 – Kid Tech, which taught coding to young children. He went on to teach hundreds of children to code all over Ireland. In 2014, Harry founded the first   Digital Youth Council in the world, which he is currently Director of. This was created to provide a platform for some of Ireland’s leading young STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) advocates, to ensure that young people have a say in their future.

His most recent business venture is Trendsterpress.com which he founded in January, 2016.  It is home to the views, opinions, reactions & stories of teenagers all around the World!

Harry is known internationally, nationally, and at local level.

Harry was recognised for his achievements on an international level and was invited by Niall Rodgers to America on a mentoring programme.

In Manchester, on Saturday 8th April, Harry received a Rotary International Young Citizen Award. The Rotary club of Naas nominated Harry, for his impressive achievements within the field of digital technology, having spent most of his teenage years working on various tech-related entrepreneurial projects.

However, The International Highlight of Harrys career to date, was when he was asked to present a TEdX talk in Villinius, Lithuania. The subject matter of his talk was STEM. It is a most informative talk and all should be encouraged to watch it. Click to view YouTube Video.

On a National level, Harry was asked to assist the Minister for Education and Skills and has advised him on the new Junior Cycle. It could even be said that Harry could be one of the people responsible for the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, granting schools ICT grants so students can become more ICT literate.

At National level, Harry was  ranked first in the Sunday Independent’s Top 30 under 30 in 2016, His work has been publicised by the Irish Times, the Irish Independent, the Examiner, the Sunday Independent and the Leinster Leader.

At a local level, sometimes coming out of the school late in the evening and passing by Clane  Project Centre situated near Hughes pharmacy, Harry McCann can be seen teaching coding to the young of Clane.

In School, Harry participated with TY Mini-company together with his friends Brian and Jack. They won many awards for their project – Edumate, culminating with them competing in the All Ireland where they won two national awards. They came first for innovation and quality in the PDST Get up and Go mini company competition.

Last year, in fifth year, Harry competed in the schools Green Isle Dragons final and won.

Throughout Harry’s business career he has received many many accolades’ and awards. Outside of school, I even met harry when he was keynote speaker to the Irish League of Credit Union’s Youth Conference in Galway in 2016.

Harry has received so many awards, that there is not enough time to mention them all today, but I refer you to his website (www.harrymccann.com) for you to view them for yourselves. They are most impressive.

The business department and our school would like to publically acknowledge, recognise and reward Harry who is one of the most enterprising students we have ever had in our school. We wish Harry nothing but success! We hope that you will not be a stranger to our school and we look forward to working with you in the future.

So, without further ado, I would like to call on Harry to collect his award and maybe even say a few words.

On behalf of the school and the business department Ms Deschenes and I, would like to present Harry with the outstanding achievement award 2017 for business and entrepreneurship.