Under the Door Enterprises, from Kavanagh College, created a firm producing and selling woollen doorstops called ‘‘Woolly Wedge’’.
Each won a $1000 scholarship to the University of Otago and flight vouchers from Air New Zealand.
Bayfield High School’s Abalro Health, which was last year’s winners, placed second and Otago Boys High School’s Maimoa came third.
Being the regional winners was like being ‘‘stuck in a dream’’, Under the Door chief executive Hayley Anderson said.
The group’s teacher, Jill Armstrong, encouraged its members to take part in Yes earlier this year and pushed them to come up with an innovative idea from the agricultural sector.
During a brief period in Alert Level 2 earlier this year, the school had to keep its doors open to comply with restrictions.
‘‘We were using traditional doorstops and we thought we could come up with something better,’’ Hayley said.
The group researched the wool industry and believed they could possibly help the struggling sector.
Woolly Wedge was designed to be a double-sided doorstop with one side covered in New Zealand wool, sourced from carpet offcuts, and the other covered in recycled wood.
Under the Door partnered with industry campaign Campaign for Wool and worked with its trustee, Craig Smith, who helped mentor the group.
The wedges were manufactured by Cargill Enterprises and more than 2000 have been sold online and at Mitre 10 Dunedin.
