Student Celebration Awards
On Wednesday 8th July Harlow College held its annual Student Celebration Awards, where the achievements and talents of the college's successful students were celebrated. It was a wonderful evening and one in which the students played key roles in all aspects of the event, including organisation, presentation, catering and technical support.
The show kicked off with a stunning performance by Level 3 Dance students, who came back to wow the audience again during the interval with a beautiful interpretation of the song 'Lay Me Down'.
Hosts for the evening were Level 3 Performing Arts and Media students Donald Matanga and Brooke Clark, both of whom did a fantastic job of compering the proceedings and entertaining the crowd with their banter and professionalism.
All the young people receiving awards were nominated by their tutors for outstanding achievement, both academically and in terms of their commitment and drive to overcome adversity. Their personal journeys are truly inspirational and a welcome antidote to the negative image often presented of young people.
A special new award was created, in memory of a much loved and much missed member of staff, who we sadly lost this year. The Julie Hanger Award will be presented each year to the student who has not only excelled in their studies but has gone out of their way to be supportive and to help and encourage others.
The awards were again sponsored by local employers, who continue to support the College with their generosity. These partnerships form a crucial part of student life, as there is often the opportunity for work experience, apprenticeship placements and the exchanging of skills, all vital to the growth of the local economy.
Harlow College Principal Karen Spencer said of the event: "Our students have had another extremely successful year - our awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate with their families, the local community and employers. It is always hard to choose the winners, but the group this year have really set themselves apart through not only their academic achievements, but their commitment to volunteering, community work, work with employers and raising the profile of Harlow through campaigns like #bigupharlow – the town should be incredibly proud."
