The “Smileybin” team of the Alonia Pieria Junior High School won a prestigious award in student innovation and entrepreneurship in the “Company of the Year” competition of Junior Achievement Europe.
The competition was held in Lucerne, Switzerland. The 15-year-old Greek students won the “Life Changer Signature Award.” Their high school is the smallest in the European contest.
The “Smileybin” student start-up impressed the judges with its innovative, ecological and social objectives and the innovative business plan, according to the official announcement.
“We are very happy to have won this important award representing Greece,” said student Iordanis Paschalidis. The “Life Changer Singnature Award” is given to the most innovative business that has the potential to change for the better the lives of people. For the “Smileybin” group, the smart recycling bin project has a double message: “We change people’s lives by giving them a cleaner environment with our smart bin, but at the same time this prize is changing our lives too because it exhibits our innovative business venture at a European level.”
Another success of the Greek team was the “Leading Personality” award won by Maria Kokkala. Maria stood among 275,000 students who participated in this year’s European student “Virtual Enterprise” program, winning along with nine other students.
“They gave me congratulations on my maturity despite my young age. I am delighted that with our innovative product and distinction here in this important European competition we showcased Greece,” said 15-year-old Kokkala.
The “Virtual Enterprise” program is operating in Greece for the past 10 years by non-profit educational organization “Young Entrepreneurs Association / Junior Achievement Greece,” under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and is supported by institutions, organizations and businesses.
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