A group of Year 12 business students from Sacred Heart College Napier have won the Hawke’s Bay North Regional Finals in this year’s Young Enterprise Scheme (YES). 

Adalyn Homan, Amber Wright, Sneha Jenson, Sophia Unwin, Chahat Dhami, and Violet Unwin created Road Ready NZ; an innovative app designed to help young drivers practice essential skills.

For the first time, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Finals were split in two; Hawke’s Bay North and Hawke’s Bay South. Both were judged by Casey Williams (Tumu), Bill Roberts (Napier City Council), Marcus Buddo (Hastings District Council), Kayla O’Dowd (Pan Pac), and Sasha D’Ath (CHBDC). 

The students’ success at regionals earned them the prestigious Tumu Company of the Year Award, a $1,000 scholarship each from Massey Business School, and the chance to receive mentorship from leading Hawke's Bay professionals, supported by Fingermark and Folkl.

Road Ready NZ CEO Chahat shared the team’s excitement and gratitude. 

“When we got the email saying we’d made it to regionals, we thought, ‘This is what we worked so hard for’. So winning feels incredible”. 

Business and Enterprise Teacher Simon Rutherford praised the students’ dedication, noting their impressive preparation and teamwork. 

“They’ve worked so hard. It's mind-boggling how far they’ve come and what they've learned as part of it. They delivered the pitch beautifully, entirely rote learned, which was commented on by the judging panel.”

Chahat says they couldn’t have done it without the support of their school, teachers and families. 

“We've pitched our idea to them twice to sort of get comfortable pitching in front of judges, and honestly, they're so supportive – the whole school and the teachers, and especially Mr Rutherford, he doesn’t give himself enough credit for how much he's helped us this year.” 

With the regionals behind them, the team is now setting its sights on Nationals in Wellington on December 5, where they will be one of two teams to represent Hawke’s Bay alongside the top young entrepreneurs from across New Zealand. 

What started as an idea just nine months ago is now in the final stage of product testing by a Master’s student at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. 

The app utilises GPS technology to allow users to practice the skills required to complete a restricted test around the driver’s chosen area with traffic lights, roundabouts, and parking manoeuvres.

Voice commands guide users through the simulated test routes, offering tips and highlighting common mistakes to enhance learning and preparation.

The team is now working to collect localised data from councils around the country to put into the app.

They have so far received support from Napier City Council and Hastings District Council and hope to get support from additional councils to expand their database nationwide. 

“It’s exciting to see how much potential it has. We can actually see this growing in the future and the fact we can help young drivers like us at a young age is just really fulfilling.” 
As they prepare for Wellington, the students are hopeful their app will resonate with a national audience.

“We’re confident and ready to show how Road Ready NZ can make a difference for young drivers across New Zealand.”

For more information and to contact Road Ready NZ visit: @roadreadynz on Instagram, Road Ready NZ on Facebook, or via their website www.roadreadynz.co.nz . 

Article added: Tuesday 12 November 2024