Two of QE’s students are nominees for the ‘Female Student of the Year Award’ at the Tees Businesswomen Awards 2024. Niamh Bage and Ellie MacArthur were thrilled to learn that, not only had they been nominated for the awards by the members of staff that know them best, but that they had also been shortlisted for the category after competing with college and university students from across Teesside.
Jodie Freeman, Course Leader for Media Studies, nominated Niamh and said that “Niamh is the perfect example of what people can achieve with hard work and tenacity. She is a Young Carer for her sister who has global developmental delay caused by epilepsy, which brings with it its rewards and its challenges. Niamh has also thrown herself into extracurricular activities such as volunteering such as helping at the St. Mary’s food bank, being a member of QE Volunteer and being an integral member of the Drama Club. Despite having a very full plate, Niamh has a spotless record for attendance and punctuality and prioritises her studies across her A level subjects. In her first year, she consistently achieved the very top grades in all three of her subjects. For such a young person, I don’t know how she does it, but she does it all with a characteristic positivity and sense of humour which I think is admirable.”
Louise Graham, an Academic Coach who provided pastoral support to Ellie as her Tutor, had these kind words to say about Ellie: “I was Ellie’s Progress Tutor for the two years she was a student at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College and, from the outset, was impressed with how she coped with the challenges life has thrown her way. Ellie initially struggled to cope with her A level studies and was seriously considering leaving college, but she stuck it out with grit and determination. A diagnosis of dyslexia helped her understand why she was struggling, and with hard work, she was soon improving her grades, particularly in Law, where she regularly attained well-deserved A grades in assessments and coursework. She quickly developed a passion for Law, especially enjoying the in-class debates and discussions, and decided that she would like to study it further at university. She was very happy to be offered a place at Northumbria university and she is due to start there this September.
However, I did not nominate Ellie solely because of her academic resolve. As I got to know her, I realised that there was so much more to her character. Since secondary school, she has volunteered in her local community in various roles, including both as a police and fire cadet, and she is also a proficient Swim Teacher and Lifeguard. She talks passionately about her swim teaching as something she finds particularly fulfilling, especially when she first meets the children at the pool when they are petrified to go into the water, and then takes them all the way through the different stages to become confident in the water and ultimately proficient swimmers themselves. All of these experiences have enabled Ellie to develop many life skills, which she uses regularly. For example, Ellie has relied on her first aid training on numerous occasions, managing to stay calm and think quickly in some very stressful situations, including supporting colleagues to administer CPR in the Leisure Centre where she works and, most recently, staying on the scene of a road traffic accident with a motorbike rider until emergency services arrived. She is an outstanding and community spirited young woman, who has shown tenacity, resilience and exceptional maturity during her time with us at QE. We wish her all the very best for the future.”
The girls, their families and members of staff from QE, including the Principal and other members of Senior Management, are looking forward to attending the black-tie event at Hardwick Hall in late September. We have high hopes that one of our inspirational students will win the award, but regardless, we are extremely proud of their achievements in being shortlisted and wish them every success as they begin the next steps of their academic and career journeys.
