Awards Night Celebrates Student Success at Redcar and Cleveland College
9th July 2018 Date of publication
Dedicated students have had their hard work recognised at our Celebration of Achievement Awards. The annual event puts the spotlight on the efforts of learners across the College. And this year didn’t disappoint as 27 accolades were handed out at a glittering ceremony.
Acting Principal Ed Heatley said: “The awards ceremony is a real celebration of the hard work and dedication of our students.”
All nominees were selected for their hard work, effort and commitment. With Student of the Year titles for each subject area, there were also special recognition awards for Contribution and Enthusiasm, Overcoming Adversity as well as the Vickie Lawrence Memorial Award.
Winner of the Overcoming Adversity and Adult Learner awards was former Boulby mine worker Lee Paterson (pictured below). He returned to education studying maths, English and a pre-access course after being made redundant from the mine.
Despite battling with anxiety and depression, the dad-of-two has since gone on to study Access to Science at the College and this September is off to Teesside University to study Chemistry. Picking up two awards on the night, the 35-year-old said: “I was quite shocked to be honest. I only knew I was nominated for one. To win is fantastic.”
Lee was presented by Peter Sotheran who is the Chairman of the Sir William Turner Foundation. The foundation sponsors the award for Overcoming Adversity
Of his time at the College, Lee said: “Returning to the classroom after 16 years away was quite daunting but it has been great. Working down the mine you don’t really do anything academic so it was a big change.”
Now he is looking forward to what the future brings and after university is even considering studying for a Masters.
