TALENTED and hard-working youngsters won prizes for their schools after a ceremony honouring their achievements.
Pupils and staff from schools across the district were nominated for the Jack Petchey Foundation awards by their schools and were presented with their prizes during the ceremony at Epping Forest College in Loughton.
Among them was George Sambrook, 15, who attends King Harold Business and Enterprise Academy in Waltham Abbey, who overcame issues with reading to learn lines for a school production.
“I was very excited,” he said. “I did a play called The Last Post at school.
“I’m making a film, which we’re still working on, which is a documentary-come comedy about how films are created and everything goes wrong.
“I want to be an actor. I like filming the most.”
As a result of the award, his school has been given a grant for new library books.
Derek Oakley, 14, who is also a pupil at the school, was awarded for doing well in German and other foreign languages and has won new software to help his classmates.
“I started learning German when I was in Year 7, about two to three years ago,” he said. “I’m quite good at writing the text in German, but speaking is not my strong point.
“Our teacher makes it quite interesting, because she does different activities and it makes it much more entertaining.”
The school has been given language teaching software on his behalf.
Fellow pupil Olivia Hounsome, 12, was recognised for her achievements in middle-distance running, which she was awarded gold and sliver medals for in recent competitions.
Other youngsters honoured by the foundation’s annual awards included the Ongar Senior District Section Guides, who were given new tents after member Catherine O'Mahony, 17, was awarded for volunteering at Finch Court sheltered housing complex in Onger.
Kwame Yeboah, 15, a pupil at West Hatch High School, was recognised for his piano performances at school concerts, which he does without needing sheet music.
He also plays basketball and supports younger pupils who are learning to play music.
People from Epping Forest College, St John’s School, Epping, West Hatch High School, Chigwell, Davenant Foundation School, and Debden Park High School, both in Loughton, were also awarded by the foundation.
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