A COURAGEOUS student who has battled against a life long debilitating condition has been rewarded for her determination and positivity.
Sophie Braham, 14, was presented with the Chris Sheehan Award for Courage and Perseverance at Northallerton School and Sixth Form College’s annual celebration of achievements.
Sophie, of Northallerton, who was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of two, suffers from constant joint pain in her ankles, knees, hips, elbows and wrists.
Despite having the severe inflammatory rheumatic disease, which forces her to use crutches and a wheelchair to get around college, she refuses to let her arthritis get her down.
“I am in a lot of pain everyday,” said Sophie. “But it’s something that I have to learn to live with.
“I’m not going to let my illness get me down and there are always lots of reasons in life to be positive.”
Despite missing large amounts of her education, due to illness and hospital appointments, Sophie has proved to be a model student and with the help of Northallerton School and Sixth Form College is on course to complete her GCSE exams next year with a view to continuing her A levels at the college.
“Everyone here has helped me so much,” said Sophie. “My teachers have made sure that I get the work to do at home and they have always been there to support me in my learning.
“I feel very proud to receive this award this evening as it is recognition of all of the effort that I have put into my studies.”
Sophie, who hopes to go on to university to become a clinical psychologist, was presented with her award by Professor Robert Allison, vice chancellor of Loughborough University and former pupil of Northallerton Grammar School.
Speaking to invited guests and local dignitaries at the celebration event Professor Allison offered his own words of inspiration to the prize winners.
“Always be cheerful in life, “he said. “There are one million reasons to be happy in life but don’t be a whinger – no one ever likes a whinger.
“Don’t shy away from a challenge, always tackle the tough jobs. Life will be fraught with problems but they all have a solution - just make sure every mistake you make is a new one.
“And finally life has a simple plot, first you’re here and then you’re not just make sure you give it everything you’ve got in-between and have fun - kindness is essential and remember to have a good time.”
The annual celebration event was hosted by students Ewan Cameron and Abbie Grange alongside teacher Trevor Starkey, at Hambleton District Forum.
Student achievement in a host of areas, from academic and music to drama and art, were recognised alongside awards for attitude, sporting commitment and enthusiasm, by Professor Allison and head of Northallerton School and Sixth Form College Mr Chris Byrne.
Special posthumous awards in memory of former students were presented by Mr Brian Dawes, father of former sixth form pupil Libby Dawes who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2007, and Mr John Hyde, whose son Lance Corporal Ben Hyde was one of six royal military policemen killed in June 2003 in Southern Iraq.
Achievement awards were presented by the Mayor of Northallerton Cllr John Forrest, Mr Alan Miller president elect of The Rotary Club of Northallerton Mowbray, Mr David Walker president elect of The Rotary Club of Northallerton and Mr Duncan Haigh, Northalleton and District Round Table.
A host of entertainment for the evening was provided by the Northallerton School and Sixth Form College Choir conducted by Mrs Andrea Rhodes, Jazz trio Aaron Turner, Thomas Rhodes and Jake Piper, Northallerton School and Sixth Form College Drama group with a performance of Good Morning Baltimore from the production Hairspray, students Alex Kennedy, Joe Lawn and Jamie Leigh Stirk with a rendition of Who Wants to Live Forever from the college musical We Will Rock You and the Northallerton School and Sixth Form College Big Band.
Closing the celebration event chair of Governors Mr Rob Barker thanked staff, parents and invited guests for their continued support.
“It is always the highlight of my year to attend this celebration and share in the success of so many of our students,” he said.
“I hope all of prize-winners here this evening continue to work hard and grasp every opportunity available to them to ensure that they reach their full potential both here at Northallerton School and Sixth Form College and in the future.”
Results
English Faculty
Award for KS3: Grace Stephenson
Award for English Language in KS4: Charlotte Knowles
Award for English Language in KS5: Sally Brooker
Award for English Literature in KS4: Rebecca Grace Johnson
Award for English Literature in KS5: Alison Scurfiled
Maths Faculty
Award for KS3: Ethan Hammerton
Award for KS4: Matthew Place
Award for KS5: Matthew Webb
Science Faculty
Award for KS3: Jonathan Mann
Award for Biology in KS4: Katie Platt
Award for Biology in KS5: Louise Chapman
Award for Chemistry in KS4: Sophie McGlynn
Award for Chemistry in KS5: James Martin
Award for Physics in KS4: Joshua Form
Award for Physics in KS5: Daniel Cutler
Award for Psychology KS5: Shannon Gallagher
Award for Applies Science in KS5: Zhilan Mohammed
Humanities Faculty
Award for Geography in KS3: Laura West
Award for Geography in KS4: Sarah MacDonnell
Award for History in KS3: Harriett Pepper
Award for History in KS4: Elizabeth Harland
Award for Geography and History in KS5: Dominic Jaques
Award for SRS in KS3: Alice Fyfe
Award for SRS in KS4: Danielle Mcllwain
Award for Business Studies in KS4: Kaitlan Taylor
Award for Business Studies in KS5: Ollie Nixon
Award for EPQ in KS5: Lewis Byrom
Technology Faculty
Award for Food in KS3: Hannah Askew
Award for Catering in KS4: Georgina Mackley
Award for Engineering in KS4: Christopher Hamilton
Award for Graphics in KS4: Matthew Place
Award for Graphics in KS5: Liam Geach
Award for ICT in KS3: Benjamin Sisk
Award for ICT in KS4: Stephanie Raine
Award for ICT in KS5: Alex Hatley
Award for Resistant Materials in KS3: William Wymer
Award for Resistant Materials in KS4: Ryan Geach
Award for Resistant Materials in KS5: James Flathers
Award for Textiles in KS3: Nicola Jobling
Award for Textiles in KS4: Louis Fowler
Award for Textiles in KS5: Masie Bradbury
Expressive Arts Faculty
Award for Art in KS3: Alice Fyfe
Award for Art in KS4: Bethany Carrahar
Award for Art in KS5: Emma Wilson
Award for Drama in KS3: Eleanor Reynolds
Award for Drama in KS4: Katie Adams
Award for Drama in KS5: Kristopher Wymer
Award for Media in KS4: Jenny Oliver
Award for Media in KS5: Matthew Sisk
Award for Music in KS3: Clare Meeks
Award for Music in KS4: Jordan Robinson
Award for Music in KS5: Sophie Gill
Modern Foreign Language
Award for KS3: Harriett Pepper
Award for KS4: Elizabeth Mallett
Award for KS5: Sally Brooker
Health and Social Care
H&SC Award: Zoe Lappin
H&SC Award for CACHE: Kiah Berry
PE
Award for KS3: Summer Marshall
Award for KS4: Theodora Crocker
Award for KS5: Gemma Gardner
Special Awards
Geography Award: Abbie Grange
Libby Dawes Award for Outstanding Commitment to Health & Social Care: Jessica Sanders
SSAFA Forces Help for Musical Excellence: Fay Donaldson, Thomas Rhodes, the cast of We Will Rock You
Andrew Rawling Award for Outstanding commitment to Design & Technology: Daniel Cutler
David Bradley Award for Drama: Alexander Kennedy
Northallerton and District Round Table Community Award: Joseph Lawn
Henry Blakeston Charity Award: Anna Almond
Hayes Travel Citizenship Award: Charles Taylor
David Dick Award for Art: Holly Dyke
David Dick Award for Sporting Achievement: William Hayward
Ben Hyde Award for Sporting Commitment and Enthusiasm in KS4: Saul Bamber-List, Issy Meeks
Ben Hyde Award for Sporting Commitment and Enthusiasm in KS5: Laura Hallett, James Smith
Award for Outstanding achievement at GCSE level: Ross Coombes, Rebecca Grace Johnson, Charlotte Knowles, Emily Platt
Rotary Club Award for highest achievement at GCSE level: Joshua Form
Rotary Club of Northallerton Mowbray Award for highest achievement at AS level: James Martin, Katherine Sanders, Nicholas Yates
Rotary Club of Northallerton Mowbray Youth Award: Christopher Barley
Award for Outstanding achievement at A2 level: Dominic Jacques, Matthew Webb
Teesside University Award for highest achievement at A2 level: Rhiannon Hinton
Graham Garlick Award for Determination: Katie Clarkson
Alan Hinkes Award for Endeavour: Bethany Pearson
Chris Sheehan Award for Courage and Perseverance: Sophie Bramham
The John Dennis Award: Rebecca Boakes, Thomas Pattison
The Cuthbert Cross: Maisy Bradbury, Anthony Boersma