Good Morning Britain and Sky Sports presenter Ben Shephard saw how the Premier League Enterprise Challenge (PLEC) inspires young people when he watched five schools display their entrepreneurial skills at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium last week.
Shephard, who is a Sport Relief ambassador, had a new role of being one of the judges at the sixth and last play-off of this year's Enterprise Challenge, with the panel having the task of deciding who would win through to the final in London on 9 March.
The young people have been working on a real-life business challenge, set by Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore, which this year asks students to formulate plans that encourage fans to spend more time at the stadium on match days.
As well as coming up with ideas to meet the brief, each school, who have already come through regional heats for the right to represent their local club, have to cost their proposals, forecast the revenue that will be generated as well as presenting their ideas on stage to a 'Dragons' Den' style panel.
"The standard was incredible," Shephard told premierleague.com. "Today has been professional, slick, inspiring, humorous and thoroughly entertaining. I have loved it.
"You wonder just how important an experience like this can be for the teams going forward. This will inform how they present, put together projects, come up with a creative way of exploring an idea and delivering that. It's priceless.
"Things are looking very positive if these girls and boys that have presented here today are anywhere near our future. They are inspiring, energetic, passionate young people that have excelled today and that's really exciting."
Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College, representing West Ham United, fought off competition from Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur to claim a place at their second Enterprise Challenge final after impressing the judges with an idea of a travel partnership with Transport For London.
"I'm ecstatic," said team member Rashadul Alam. "I was not expecting to win. We worked for hours and hours on the presentation and that second, when our name was read out, was the realisation of all of that work."
The team have been helped in their preparations for this year's competition by two members of the Stepney Green College group that won the Enterprise Challenge for West Ham in 2014.
Ismaeel Haqq and Mohammed Ashrabul have been mentoring this year's team for the last two months, giving them tips and passing on their experiences of when they triumphed at the Department of Business Innovation and Skills.
"We played a small role, it was down to them and the time and dedication they put in, just like we did two years ago," Ismaeel said. "I am absolutely delighted for them. I was very nervous when they were presenting, more than when I was up on stage! The intensity of the Enterprise Challenge has risen massively."
And Giovanni Giordano, deputy head of PE at Stepney Green Maths, says the programme has made a big difference to the students in his team.
"Before they would be a bit more reserved and shy," he said. "They are really outspoken now and not afraid to share their ideas. I wasn't too aware of the power that it could have but if you look at what the team from two years ago have achieved it just shows how much it really is a worthwhile experience for them."
There were two other Enterprise Challenge play-offs last week. Middlesbrough FC's Freebrough Academy claimed victory at Newcastle United's St James' Park with a 'Riverside Social' proposal, which involves creating a new and exciting experience for fans at Boro's home ground, the Riverside Stadium.
And in the first play-off at Emirates Stadium, Open Academy won for Norwich City thanks to their ideas of early bird discounts on food and drink and a special 'Match Day Experience' package.
"It was a fantastic opportunity for the school to be able to represent the Canaries and brilliant to see the pupils so engaged," said Norwich City Community Sports Foundation enterprise co-ordinator Mark Woodcock. "Four of the five students are season-ticket holders at the club and they used their previous match day experiences to help shape their business strategy. They should be very proud of themselves for getting to this next stage."
Swansea City (Pentrehafod School), Manchester United (Swinton High School) and Everton (Knowsley Park School) were the teams selected from the first three Enterprise Challenge play-offs, which took place at the start of February.
What is Premier League Enterprise?
- The Premier League Enterprise programme is run in partnership with Sport Relief and uses the appeal of football and the expertise of the clubs to engage young people in business education and activities.
- This year's PLEC is targeted at schools and alternative education establishments and focuses on engaging marginalised young people, identified as underachieving or at risk of not reaching their full potential
- 29 Premier League and Football League clubs are participating in the 2015/16 Enterprise Challenge, with a total of up to 130 schools and 1000 young people due to take part
PLEC 2015/16 finalists
- Swansea City (Pentrehafod School)
- Man Utd (Swinton High School)
- Everton (Knowsley Park School)
- Middlesbrough (Freebrough Academy)
- Norwich City (Open Academy)
- West Ham United (Stepney Green Maths, Computing and Science College)
