Throughout this week we are celebrating the achievements of our incredible young people through our student awards.
Today is all about our students who have shown resourcefulness and found interesting and creative enrichment opportunities to bolster their university applications, despite the challenges of lockdowns. We have awarded four students with our Enrichment Prize.
Hear from the students, and the University Access Officer who nominated them for this prize.
Student Enrichment award winners
Eden, Year 12, Moseley School
On winning this prize, Eden said: “The pandemic has undoubtedly affected my usual studying habits since I took it as an opportunity to put my revision on hold. Once schools and colleges opened again, I found it difficult to get back to studying consistently and efficiently which therefore was quite a challenge. In addition to that, I hadn’t been able to gain the required work experience and extra curriculars necessary for the university course I’d like to study. Despite that, I had the initiative to search online and make the most of the opportunities available at the time.
“Winning the Enrichment Award allowed me to realise that my dedication has not been unnoticed and only motivates me further to continue partaking in events outside of Sixth Form, such as work experience and volunteering.”
Eden’s University Access Officer said: Planning to apply for Dentistry, Eden completed some great work experience. She spent two weeks volunteering in a dentistry practice in Egypt, helping dentists with clinical tasks and observing procedures. She also completed virtual work experience with a medic mentor, watching actual procedures, including root canals. She’s also volunteering in an orthopaedic hospital and looking after patients!
Amina, Year 10, Oasis Academy Hadley
On winning this prize, Amina said: “During the pandemic, I found it was very easy to get distracted, I really missed seeing all my friends in person and it was difficult keeping on top of everything and not falling behind. I set myself a reading challenge, which helped to further my understanding of the world. It was great to talk to my tutor about reading and we were able to give each other book recommendations.”
Amina’s University Access Officer said: “Amina has set herself the target of reading 100 books in a year and she is on track! This averages to getting through an entire book every 3 or 4 days. She’s not just reading adult literature either. She’s reading Virginia Woolfe and history books on the English monarchy!”
Gianna, Year 12, Ashfield School
Gianna’s UAO said: Prior to the start of the academic year, Gianna had already undertaken some work experience at a nearby emergency care center. She has since been accepted onto a virtual work experience scheme that is being run by the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and has been volunteering in the A&E department of King’s Mill Hospital, where she has additionally been helping to fundraise for the hospital. Alongside her tutorials, Gianna has also been accepted onto the In2MedSchool scheme which has provided her with additional mentoring opportunities.
Flamur, Year 12, George Green’s School
Flamur’s University Access Officer said: “Flamur has done so much extra reading, as well as teaching himself Further Maths and reading well ahead to prepare for STEP. Most impressively, he set up a Maths Society at George Green’s, where students meet to tackle complicated problems and help themselves prepare for the exams. Such a great initiative that will benefit students for some years to come!”
More winners to be announced
We will be posting more about the student award winners over the course of the week on our news page.