Caught red-handed: Otago students create customised pens to outsmart classroom thieves

For Otago secondary school students “finding pens is like finding money” and becoming the victim of pen theft is all too common. So a trio of East Otago High School students have come up with a solution. Year 11 students Kody Lozell, William Newton and Trevor Hunt, all 15, have started Odds n’ Sodds — a pen company they founded as part of the Young Entrepreneurs programme. They sell heavily customisable pens which can have multi-coloured beads added featuring names or any word or phraseand can be used as a sensory toy. The pens also have refillable ink. Kody said with one of their pens you could easily spot a pen thief. “In our school, finding pens is like finding money … it’s very, very rare, and a lot of pens get stolen or run out very fast.” “If you wanted to put your name on it, you won’t really be able to lose it — If you get your pen taken and someone says it’s their pen, well, it’s not really their pen because it’s got your name on it.” ©Allied MediaThe multicoloured and customisable pens from "Odds n' Sodds", a student company created by a group of East Otago High School classmates. Photo: Peter McIntosh They had made about $200 from the venture so far. Their social studies teacher had bought five to give to students as spot prizes. William said they had been working on the business since the start of the year, and had found a manufacturer who had given them multiple options for colours. He said they all hoped the business would carry over into next year once the Young Entrepreneurs programme ended, and this was the biggest project they had undertaken and they were thoroughly enjoying it. “People just really love having these customisable pens, so we hope to keep it going.” On Saturday, the trio were selling their pens at the Wall St Mall in George St and were also selling the pens through their social media pages. They were selling one pen for $7.50, and two for $12. laine.priestley@odt.co.nz

Caught red-handed: Otago students create customised pens to outsmart classroom thieves

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