Jack Petchey 2023 Winners

News

January 2023 - Yusuf Ibraheem

Yusuf is a very worthy of this award. He was nominated by a host of cross-college staff and peers which is testimony to the great impact he’s made within the College community during his time in sixth form through his curricular and extra-curricular activities. Yusuf studies Level 3 Performing Arts and A Level English Literature at St. Charles and has thoroughly enjoyed his courses with an excellent attendance and punctuality record throughout his time in sixth form. His Performing Arts teacher states that he has been an extremely dedicated and hardworking student in the subject, always striving to achieve his very best in all aspects of the course. In addition he is exceptionally supportive of his peers in the group, often going above and beyond to help them with their work in any way possible. His English teachers report that he demonstrates a great interest in the subject and is always actively engaged in the tasks, and his Ethics teacher says that he always actively contributes to discussions, showing great sensitivity to others and that he is an excellent team worker.

These team work skills have not only been evident in the classroom but around the college campus also. Yusuf has operated the lighting for 2 years in a row for the College’s annual Christmas production and has willingly trained others in how to use the lighting desk. His pastoral staff tells us that he has demonstrated great service to the college community through his supportive nature and actions.  He also works tirelessly to support college events acting as a student ambassador, supporting Charity events and a range of extra-curricular activities.

All involved with Yusuf agree that he has been an extremely reliable and responsible student whose calm and kind nature are explicit in all that he does.  This is all even more admirable as Yusuf completes all of the above in the face of significant personal adversity and always with a smile on his face! What a fantastic young man.

Yusuf said on receiving the award that he felt “very humbled to be given the award for doing things that gave him great pleasure helping with and giving back to the college community.”

Yusuf is spending his £300.00 on a boat trip at the end of term from Camden along the Regent Canal for a cohort of cross-college students who he has worked alongside through his various activities. Enjoy!

 

February 2023 - Maria Vasalie

Maria who studies A Level History, RE and Spanish at St. Charles is another very worthy winner of the Jack Petchey Award. With an impeccable attendance and punctuality record, Maria’s commitment and work ethic to her studies has been exemplary throughout her 2 years in sixth form. Her RE teachers describe her as an excellent student who is not only extremely hard working in and out of the classroom but that she is always a very considerate and helpful member of her groups. Her Spanish teacher stated that Maria is a pleasure to teach and a great role model for her peers and her history teachers cited her positive attitude coupled with her mature and insightful approach to the subject.

In addition to her exemplary performance in her studies, Maria has also been an exemplary contributor to the wider college community. She has been a great ambassador for the college, acting as a Student Guide at a myriad of college open and promotional events where her welcoming and professional demeanour always shone through! Maria also was a superb ambassador for the college as one of a few students chosen to represent the college on the Lessons from Auschwitz project run by the Holocaust Education Trust. Her well considered reflections on this emotionally charged unique educational visit which she shared with her peers on return, highlighted her intellectual maturity and sensitivity.  Maria’s next step of her journey is reading Modern Languages at Kings College London of which we are confident she will do well in.

On receiving the award, Maria commented that “I am grateful for receiving such a special award as this and I would like to thank the staff who nominated me. Getting this award has strengthened my self-confidence and motivates me to continue to perform in my studies and hopefully inspire other students to do the same!”

Maria chose to use split her £300 between the RE and History Departments to fund future trips.

 

March 2023 – Chona Brown

Chona was nominated for this award by a cross section of support and teaching staff at St. Charles. She is described by all as a wonderful young person who has grown so much during her time at St. Charles. Chona studies Level 3 Art & Design alongside her GCSE English and Maths courses, having progressed internally from Level 2 Art.

A delightful student, Chona is described as a joy to have around both in and out of the classroom and it has been a pleasure to see her grow in confidence during her time with us at St. Charles. She is a reflective and thoughtful student in her approach to her work and described by her Art teachers as a diligent, conscientious and hardworking student. With an outstanding 100% attendance and punctuality record, Chona has consistently demonstrated her reliability and commitment to her studies.

Chona recently completed a project with her Art group which was a “Take Over Day” at the Hayward Gallery, London. In preparation for the event Chona attended weekly workshops working collaboratively with a team of year 12 and 13 students. Together they visited the Mike Nelson exhibition and came up with imaginative ideas for engaging other school students in the exhibition. During the event Chona gave an outstanding performance, presenting her ideas in front of over 100 students. This was quite an achievement for Chona and one she should be proud of!

A young woman of impeccable manners, she is a credit to herself and all the groups she’s involved in. She has attended 2 residential retreats with the College where the College Chaplain stated that she was kind and caring to those around her and a valuable member of the group activities. Her participation in these retreats, her art trips and projects, her attendance at the NCS Challenge residential in March 2023 and her contributions to the Learning Support Department events e.g. Christmas, end of year etc, all have helped Chona grow in independence. We are confident next year, which will be her last year at St. Charles, that we will see her further develop her potential! Well done Chona on a magnificent journey to date!

Chona commented on receiving the award that she felt very proud to have been given the award. She was totally surprised and filled with joy to be included in the 6 winners! “I feel very happy! This is very special for me.”

She has chosen to use her £300.00 to subsidise an end of year bowling trip to Queens Ice Bayswater (London) for a group of students known to the Learning Support Department at the end of term. Thank you Chona!

 

April 2023 – Adrian Benavides

Adrian is in his final year here at St. Charles, studying L3 Digital Media and A Level Portuguese. His teachers have repeatedly applauded his outstanding film production work in media since he started his course. His ability to create some professional and complex work within moving image makes him stand out from his peers. He has also used his skills and expertise to film the college’s performing arts shows which a great asset to that department. It is no surprise that he is on target for an outstanding grade of D*D* at the end of his course! Adrian has taken advantage of the opportunities available to him and is currently doing work experience for a film company in London which is quite amazing at such a young age. His Portuguese teacher states that Adrian is an extremely polite and diligent student whose attitude to work has been exemplary. Fluent in Spanish, Adrian had no previous learning of Portuguese but is excelling in the subject.  On top of all of this Adrian has helped out at pretty much every college event which demonstrates what a great all round student he truly is!

On receiving the award Adrian said “I am aware of my hard work during my time in St. Charles but I never thought that I could be rewarded for it like this! The Jack Petchey award is an honour that I feel really pleased to share with the next generation of students with my funding; hopefully also they will be inspired and encouraged to better themselves by the award as I am. I feel valued and happy to be deserving of this opportunity to help others, thank you.”  Well deserved Adrian certainly.

Adrian donated his £300 to the Media Department who bought equipment (Zoom H1n Handy Recorders.)

May 2023 – Chloe Balamaga

Chloe is in her final year at St. Charles studying A Level Media Studies, Criminology and Sociology. An industrious student with a great determination to succeed, Chloe has risen to the challenges of her A Level studies. With exemplary attendance and punctuality, she is described by her teachers as an outstanding student; she is motivated, hardworking and a pleasure to have in the classroom. Her Sociology teachers were exceptionally impressed with her commitment to the subject and department. She showed great leadership by leading on the peer mentoring programme in the department and her diligent approach extended beyond the college day where she supported students through revision workshop which she organised herself.

Chloe’s enthusiasm and commitment was also evident when she stood up in front of all the teaching staff in a staff Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training session where she spoke eloquently and confidently about the role of independent study and homework for sixth form students. She also willingly gave up her free time to help with college events for new students where her welcoming and calm approach were commended.  Chloe also demonstrated real leadership skills in her other subjects and cross-college activities. In Ethics she was reported as leading team activities effectively, making insightful contributions to discussions. A modest young person, she is destined for a bright future. Well done Chloe!

On receiving the award Chloe said “I am extremely grateful for this achievement, I would like to thank the teachers who encouraged and pushed me to do my time here to do my very best.”

Given her dedication to her studies, it is no surprise that Chloe is spending her £300 on text books for the Sociology Department to help future generation of students to access supplementary resources to help them succeed.

June 2023 – Petro Melnyk

Petro is a remarkable young man who has a real determination to succeed! Since his arrival at St. Charles in September 2023 he has demonstrated that he is a model student who clearly embraces a challenge and avails of all the opportunities available to him. Petro currently studies L3 Business, A Level History and GCSE English in Sixth Form but wants to progress to A Levels in 2023-24.  Having arrived to the UK from Ukraine in May 2022, Petro’s determination to widen his command in English and to embrace British culture has been impressive. He has willingly signed up for additional English lessons from the Learning Support Department in St. Charles and his English teachers state that he genuinely has a passion to immerse himself in the English Language which is so different from his native Ukrainian.  A reflective student, Petro is constantly enthusiastic and appreciative of the support and opportunities and all this is done against the background knowledge of political upheaval in his own country. His Business teachers also commend his enthusiasm and diligence. His attitude to his studies is exemplary they state and he is a model student for his peers. His pastoral manager echoes this saying Petro is a kind, smart and charming student who always has a smile.

Petro has also made a great contribution to the wider community. He is always the first to offer a helping hand to support college events. He was a polite and well mannered contributor to the college’s Chess and 3D puzzles enrichment clubs and he was chosen as one of the 6 students to represent the college on the Lessons from Auschwitz programme run by the Holocaust Education Trust in February 2023. Petro was an outstanding ambassador for the college during the programme.  Petro has a real interest in History and his insightful recollections post the experience highlighted both his intellectual curiosity and his humble personality.

On receipt of the award Petro commented “Today I was very proud to be awarded the Jack Petchey award for my contributions and hard work in college by The Principal, Mr Twist. I want to express my gratitude to all the teachers and college staff who helped me achieve this award and I am looking forward to investing my £300 for the benefit of the college students.”

Petro is donating his £300 towards organising a key note speaker either from Bloomberg or another top financial company to come in Autumn 2023 term to speak to Business and Economics students.