Creative innovators win Youth Excellence award

The creative minds behind a business that aims to provide a safe and welcoming space for Neurodivergent people to express themselves has won the UniSC Award for Youth Innovation Excellence at this year’s Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards.

Finley Berry and Lauren Adair from Bray Park State High School celebrated the end of Year 12 and their win at the gala awards, held at the Eatons Hill Hotel on Friday night.

Their business, Shnoompy Boy Designs, seeks to provide a space for Neurodivergent people to express themselves by showcasing their art, music and other artistic endeavours while earning an income through long-term meaningful employment opportunities.

The UniSC Award for Youth Innovation Excellence recognises an individual or group aged 18 years and younger who studies in the Moreton Bay Region, demonstrating excellence in a product, process, business model or marketing innovation, developed within the past 24 months that challenges conventional thinking and demonstrates competitiveness.

Finley said he wanted to use the award as a way to set stronger goals and push himself harder.

Lauren said she was only new to the Shnoompy Boy team, but was inspired by founder Finley.

Safe space to create

“He’s amazing. Finley struggled to find work – he has autism so it makes it a lot more difficult to find a job where they accept him,” Lauren explained.

“Finley has an amazing talent for art, so he decided ‘why not create my own business?’ with his nickname he has had since he was a child – Shnoompy Boy.

“Ever since then people have loved it and it’s gone crazy.”

Lauren said she and Finley hoped to open a store where other Neurodivergent people could gather, be creative, find a place where they felt like they belonged and work at the same time.

Bray Park State High School principal Peter Turner said he was incredibly proud of what Finley and Lauren had achieved.

“The students have done a fantastic job representing Bray Park State High School, and the whole school is behind them, all 1400 students.”

There were 68 finalists in this year’s awards and the winners were decided by a panel of 44 judges from a mix of public and private sector organisations from across South East Queensland.

The 2022 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards were presented by Moreton Bay Regional Council and delivered by Moreton Bay Region Industry and Tourism (MBRIT).

See photos from the night and read about the other winners here.

Entries for the 2023 Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards are now open. Click here to find out more.