Build A Bank National Finals

29th April was a day Savvy Savers bank team have been waiting on for the last few months. It was the big competition and the end of the line. The National Finals!
We arrived in Croke Park at 10am with our posters and our Savvy Savers high visibility jackets and hard hats, and ready to sell our bank but when we got up to the conference area it was way better than we had expected!

Along the corridor there were tables with lovely foods like croissants and fruit and juice. Then we were brought up to the chillout zone. There were huge games of Operation and Jenga, Chess and Connect Four. There was air hockey and table tennis and cushions were all over the floor. It was really cool!


After an hour or so of "chilling" and after every team had arrived we made our way to the competition area where we were given 45 minutes to set up our table and get prepared for the judging. The other banks were amazing and the standard was unbelievably high!
When the judges came around and asked us questions we thought we did good and we were happy! Happy that the hard bit of the day was over aswell! Then the fun really began!

First we were brought on a tour of Croke Park for about an hour. Then we came back and played more games for a bit and then we were brought into the dinning room...... A-MA-ZING!!!!
The whole room was lit up in blue and purple and red lights, there was a big stage up the top and we all had our own table! Aidan Power from RTE was presenting the show. We got a 3 course meal. We had the best vegetable soup EVER for starter, chicken with mushroom sauce for main and brownies with cream for desert. The food was only gorgeous!!!!! Then the day continued with entertainment from a group of drummers and we were presented with certificates!

Then it was the big time...the time to announce the winners!
We were at table one!..The group who came 3rd were at table 3...the group who came 2nd were at table 2, then we were getting excited and they called out "The Winner is......St.......Marys"… the winner was at table 11.
We weren’t disappointed that we didn’t win. Obviously we would have loved to but the bank that won were so good and they deserved it. We were just so happy to have even gotten that far and to have had such an amazing day!
We would like to thank AIB, Ms.McMahon and the rest of school community for all their support over the last few months.
So here’s a big thanks from Savvy Savers.

Meg
xoxoxo

Good luck Savvy Savers

Good luck goes out to Savvy Savers who today represent St Wolstan's and Leinster (and further afield I think) at the National AIB Build a Bank competition in Croke Park.

Waiting on news.......

Savvy Savers are Regional Winners!!!

Wednesday 3rd March was the the regional fianl for the AIB Build A Bank Challenge, and of course the day we had been preparing for for so long.
The compition took place in the Kilashee House hotel. When we arrived there were other schools waiting in the lobby area, and everyone was putting their final touches to their display for the judges.

The nerves of all six of us began to set in as we waited around to be given the go ahead to start setting up. We were given some light breakfast and then sent in to set up our display and prepare for our ten minutes with the judges.

There were 14 school in the competition in total, and we were at stand number 13. The judges came around to look at the display first of all, and then to talk with each team for 10 minutes. We did really well we thought, we were all able to communcate well as a team, and the judges were impressed with our display and our ability to communicate. A big talking point was having John Murray From the Business on RTE at our launch and of course the fact that we were on the radio show on Saturday Morning.

When it came to the presentation of the awards and winning school bank team we were all very nervous. We were unsure as to how well we had done and aware that the competition from other schools was very high. The three other catagory prizes were called first and then the big one. When we heard that our schoolname St Wolstan's Celbridge was called out as the National Qualifiers and the overall Best School Bank we were so happy, the girls and I could'nt believe it. Next stop for us is the Natrionals In Croke Park this May. Lots more hard work to be done before then.

We would all like to say a special thanks to Ms Mc Mahon for all her help, support and patience, Mrs Leahy for everything, you have been great, and Michelle our AIB Bank Rep for all her guidance.
From me, I would like to thank all the girls on the team, you are all so great and a pleasure to work with, well done

Check out our blog or Facbook for all the updates from Savvy Savers and we will keep you posted! :) xox

Ellie
Bank Manager.

***Congratulations to Savvy Savers, all your hard work paid off.****
Mrs L

Savvy Savers on RTE

This week, John Murray of The Business on RTE Radio 1, launched the Savvy Savers Bank. Later John interviewed the girls and they might....just might...be on the radio this Saturday morning, Feb 27th.

Catch Johns show here, hopefully he'll use the girls interview.

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/thebusiness/index.html

Update: The girls did very well and you can catch their interview on John's link above...fast forward to about 32 minutes.

Here's what John says about the interview
"BEHAVED LIKE A BUNCH OF GROWN UPS IN THE SWEET SHOP !
Their mummies and daddies wrecked the economy, invested nearly two thirds of our new found wealth in houses rather than job production and have saddled us with about 80 billion of bad debts.. So what does the new generation think of all this.? Will they be more sensible than their elders? We asked these questions of the Transition Year class in St Wolstans in Celbridge Co Kildare."

Savvy Savers Bank Launch

Today Tuesday the 23rd of February, Savvy Savers, the school bank, had the official opening of the school bank.

After weeks of preparation from all the team members, the day came and was a great success. Guests included Minister Áine Brady, Councillors Paul Kelly and Catherine Murphy, as well as our special guest John Murray of The Business on RTE. We also had press there form the Liffey Champion and The Student Press.

The event began with our meet and greet, and myself and Pamela, the Assistant Manager gave a speech to all those present informing them about our bank and thanking them for coming. Lots of sweet treats, tea and coffee were to be had by guests, staff and students. We were delighted to have a few words from Mrs Barry also.

Pamela, Meg and I were interviewed by Mr John Murray for The Business on RTE and lots of pictures were taken by the local newspaper.


A special thanks to the TY students that came along to help out, all the teachers especially Ms Mc Mahon and Ms Wheatley, for their ongoing support. We really appreciate it all.

Next event for the bank team is the National Final on Wednesday 3rd March, and remember our blog and Facebook page have constant updates of our work.



Ellie
Bank Manager

Savvy Savers Bank launch

New blog post from Savvy Savers

http://savvysaversbank.blogspot.com/2010/02/100210.html

Savvy Savers Update

Since the last blog post, Team Members of Savvy Savers have been working so hard organising lots of things including lunchtime openings, the official launch day and our work that we will enter into the Regional Competition.

We had our first lunchtime opening which went down so well, I think all our new customers enjoyed the sweets :) We have gotten lots of forms back and we are now really encouraging people to lodge money every week. We as a team are working really well together and we are currently really focused on planning our launch day which we hope to be on Tuesday 23rd of February. Lots of things still have to be done so that the day is a real success. We really hope to have some interesting public figures there along with all our Bank customers. Along with working on that we are also keeping in touch with our customers and Pamela our Assistant Manager had the lovely job of giving some happy customer’s €10 credit vouchers the other day- which they got as a result of joining the bank.

Our Regional Competition is also fast approaching; it will take place in the Killashee House Hotel on March 3rd. We are doing lots of work in preparation and we really hope to do well there on the day!

I would just like to say how much I am enjoying working as Bank Manager, and with the girls they are a great team! :)

Pamela- Is constantly doing great work as a brilliant Assistant Manager!
Meg- Sales and Marketing is doing great, great job, I am sure you will keep everyone updated
Laura and Sinead- you guys are doing great work especially at the busy lunchtimes when you are taking forms and lodgements
Sinead Keogh- Doing lots of great work as the teams Auditor

Well done guys! :)
x x Ellie
Bank Manager

Savvy Savers blog

The school bank, Savvy Savers, have set up their own blog to keep the school informed about the banks progress. You'll also find out about special offers etc being offered by the bank.

Click here for their blog. They also have a Facebook account here

Don't forget to come back to the TY blog for more updates:)

Thanks to Meg for keeping us informed. She's doing a great job at Sales and Marketing!! I'm sure the free sweets to customers last Friday went down a treat!