Youngsters from Norfolk will be showing they mean business today in the regional finals of the 2003 Young Enterprise competition.

Youngsters from Norfolk will be showing they mean business today in the regional finals of the 2003 Young Enterprise competition.

Students from two schools in Norwich became county champions when they won the EDP Young Enterprise Business Awards last month.

Beyond – a joint venture by Norwich School and Norwich High School for Girls – will compete with six other teams in the eastern regional final of the HSBC-sponsored awards at Churchill College, Cambridge.

The winning team will go through to the national finals at the Savoy in London on July 15.

The Young Enterprise Company Programme offers young people the chance to run their own business while still in full-time education. Students have full responsibility for their company, they all become company directors and some hold key functional directorships.

They have to decide on a service and/or product, carry out market research and then design, produce or source their product.

They also raise capital through the sale of shares, keep financial records, hold board meetings and operate as a professional business.

Last year, the two Norwich schools were also Norfolk's winners, with a company called Insomnia, but they did not win the regional round.

Beyond comprised 16 Year 12 students and was overseen by link teachers William Croston and Clare Hooper.

Its business advisers were Katherine Flint and Bill McSweeney from the Inland Revenue.

The youngsters have been writing and editing a magazine containing a mix of fun and serious issues.

Alongside articles on going out, restaurants and music reviews is advice aimed at sixth-formers such as choosing subjects and university applications.

They have also recorded their magazine on to CDs to act as a learning aid for foreign students and for students with reading difficulties.

Company secretary Shee Wah Wan said taking part in the Young Enterprise Norfolk finals had been a "fantastic and worthwhile experience for us all" and they were looking forward to today's contest.

Patricia Hagan, development manager for Young Enterprise Norfolk, said: "There's always strong competition in the regional finals, but we know the Beyond students will give a professional and polished performance on behalf of Norfolk."