Association of Colleges

17 November 2011

Exceptional students from colleges across the UK were presented with Association of Colleges Student of the Year Awards for their remarkable personal achievements at AoC’s Annual Conference in Birmingham last night (16 Nov).

The competition, now in its fifth year, and this year sponsored by leading English exam board AQA, recognises excellence which can be in any academic, vocational or extra-curricular area. Winners must have also made a significant contribution to college life or their local community, and have inspired others.

Joint 1st prize: Keith Southern, 55 – enrolled on the National Diploma in Music Technology at Mid Cheshire College 38 years after leaving school with no qualifications, and is training to be a teacher.

Joint 1st: prize: Sabyha Khan, 18 –led the successful public speaking team at Uxbridge College and achieved high grades at A-level to fulfil her ambition to study Medicine at Cambridge University.

2nd prize: Joe Panasiuk, 18 – an exceptional enterprise student, young entrepreneur and teenage volunteer, Joe is a role model for his younger sister who he cares for following their mother’s death.

3rd Prize: Mahamed Awale, 16 – a dedicated UK Youth MP and entrepreneur, ambitious A-level student Mahamed recently appeared on the BBC’s Young Apprentice show with Sir Alan Sugar.

(See Notes to Editors below for fuller details of winners.)

On receiving his award, joint first prize winner, Keith Southern, said: “I have won a national BTEC award but this is even bigger. It’s absolutely fantastic. I didn’t expect it. I just wish that my return to education had happened when I was a younger man.”

Joint first prize winner, Sabyha Khan, said: “I’m quite shocked at the moment – it’s a real honour and a huge award to win. I’m surprised. I am just getting started at university and into my course. It’s hard work.”

Suzy Alderson, Assistant Director at AQA, said: “AQA is very pleased to be this year’s sponsor. The Student of the Year Awards reflect the very best across the college sector with a diverse group of winners with unique personal journeys to success.

“Their example inspires us, coming as they do from a range of backgrounds. Their achievements, their contribution to college and community are a wonderful reflection of different talents and abilities. I am sure we will hear great things of them all in the future.”

Tony Alderman, AoC board member and one of the judges, said: “We were delighted once again to receive so many nominations of a high quality that represent the diversity of the sector. The two joint winners, one aged 18 and the other 55, are such wonderful examples of this.

“Sabyha’s success underlines the fact that many of those third of all 16-18-year olds who study for their A-levels in colleges, achieve excellent results; while Keith’s story shows that it is never too late to return to college and gain qualifications – it is fantastic that he will give back through becoming a teacher.”

The winners span the spectrum of achievement across further education, sixth form and specialist colleges in the UK. Almost 40 colleges, representing more than 300,000 students, made nominations for this year’s competition. The awards were presented by Chair of AoC Board, John Bingham.
 

For further details of winners, please see Notes to Editors below.

Ends

Contacts:
Helen Galley
National Press Officer
020 7034 9973
helen_galley@aoc.co.uk
www.aoc.co.uk

Notes to Editors

Joint First Prize – £700 – Keith Southern, 55, Mid Cheshire College
Keith grew up in children’s homes. Profoundly dyslexic, he was sent to 13 different schools, leaving at 15 without any formal qualifications. After four years in the merchant navy, he landed a job with ICI. When he was made redundant 30 years later, he made the brave decision, aged 52, to go to back college to pursue his lifelong passion for music. Having always performed as a musician in his spare time, Keith initially enrolled on the National Diploma in Music Technology, where he was awarded a distinction for each assignment he submitted.

Keith is now working part-time as a peripatetic guitar teacher at a local primary school, has progressed to a Foundation Degree in Commercial Music Technology at Mid Cheshire College, and been accepted onto a Teacher Training qualification. He plans to combine these two courses with his ongoing music performance career and progress into a permanent teaching job. Mid Cheshire’s music department see him as a potential future college lecturer, and would love it if one day he were able to join their staff.

Sandra Thompson, Senior Marketing Officer at Mid Cheshire College, said: "It’s a rare pleasure to encounter a student as tireless and dedicated as Keith. It was very brave of him to return to education after 38 years, especially considering his memories of school and the problems that he has with written work. Keith’s story is one that clearly demonstrates the power of education and lifelong learning and how it can change lives. He continues to be an inspiration to both staff and students at the college."
 

Joint First Prize – £700 – Sabyha Khan, 18, Uxbridge College
Sabyha chose to study for her A-levels at Uxbridge College instead of progressing to her school sixth form. At college, tutors recognised and supported her academic abilities, helping Sabyha to achieve an impressive two A* and two A grades at A-level in August this year. These grades were sufficient to earn her a place at Cambridge University, where she has just started a degree in Medicine. In the future, she would like to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Sabyha was also nominated for her extra-curricular achievements, which show an early commitment to public service. As captain, she led the college’s public speaking team to victory in the local and regional heats of the Rotary Youth Speaks competition. She tutored other students as a volunteer in the college’s maths clinic and orchestrated the winning campaign for a candidate in the elections to the student council.

Second Prize – £400 – Joe Panasiuk, 18, The Sheffield College
Joe Panasiuk completed the intensive, one-year BTEC Diploma Level 3 in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at The Sheffield College, becoming one of the first students to graduate from Yorkshire and the Humber’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy. This achievement is particularly remarkable because Joe managed his studies while caring for his younger sister following the death of their mother last year. The family tragedy had put Joe at an educational as well as personal disadvantage, as he had to leave his school sixth form without finishing his A2 Levels. Nonetheless, he bounced back at college, obtaining distinction grades in his BTEC and meeting all his deadlines.

At college, Joe also found time to further develop his exceptional entrepreneurial flair and give back to the community. On the course, he developed a quarterly tabloid called ‘Stamped’, which tapped into student talent in Sheffield and connected it with local businesses. He is a founder member of the Sheffield BiG Young Entrepreneurs Club, and regularly offers support, guidance and opportunities to Sheffield’s teenage business talent. He also won the Sheffield Young Entrepreneur category at Sheffield City Council’s Celebration of Success Awards 2011.

Joe has now progressed onto the college’s Management and Entrepreneurship Foundation Degree course. Course manager, Andrew Sale, says: "Never once have I heard Joe complain about his responsibilities. He wants to succeed in life, go to university and set an excellent example to his sister."

Third Prize – £200 – Mahamed Awale, 16, Sir George Monoux College, London
Mahamed is currently studying for A-levels in economics, IT, law, politics and psychology at Sir George Monoux College. As a dedicated UK youth parliament representative for his borough, Mahamad’s shock at the lack of inspiration and ambition among some of his peers inspired him to set up what he and his business partner describe as ‘the world’s first junior talent network’ – a cross between a social networking site, talent agency and video sharing site. The Inspire Talent Network (www.inspiretalent.org) showcases young people’s skills and helps them to network with each other. As a result of his social entrepreneurial activities, Mahamed was recently selected to appear on the BBC’s Young Apprentice show with Sir Alan Sugar, and made it down to the last 12 contestants. Mahamad says: ‚I aspire to become a successful, self-made businessman and politician who creates a monumental change in society by showing people that they are worthy individuals who are gifted.?

Colleges Key Facts

•  Every year colleges educate and train over 3.3 million people
• Colleges provide 35% of entrants to higher education
• Students aged 19+ in further education generate an additional £75 billion for the economy over their lifetimes

About the Association of Colleges
The Association of Colleges (AoC) exists to represent and promote the interests of Colleges and provide members with professional support services. As such, we aim to be the authoritative voice of Colleges – based on credible analysis, research, advocacy and consultation with Colleges – and the first choice destination for guidance and advice for members. AoC was established in 1996 by Colleges themselves as a voice for further education and higher education delivered in Colleges at national and regional level. Our membership includes general and tertiary further education colleges, sixth form colleges and specialist colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

About AQA
AQA is an educational charity whose aim is to bring out the best in students and teachers by providing services that lead to inspiring lessons and great learning. AQA is the leading provider of GCSEs and A-levels and its qualifications are used in most secondary schools and colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. AQA’s qualifications are also internationally recognised and are taught in 44 countries around the world.

---

View all news