First Lord Glenamara prize given to Natasha
Natasha Comber a year 11 student at Astley High School has won the first ever Lord Glenemara Memorial Prize, a national award from the Department of Education for academic excellence and community work. She is with Headteacher John Barnes and Head of Year 11 Fran Gannon.
A YOUNGSTER from Seaton Delaval has beaten hundreds of others to win a prestigious award for outstanding achievement.
Natasha Comber, 11, won the first-ever Lord Glenamara Memorial Prize, run by the Department for Education.
The Astley Community High School pupil beat off competition from children from more than one hundred secondary schools in Northumberland, Newcastle, Durham, Gateshead, Sunderland and Tyneside.
Natasha was nominated by head of year, Francesca Gannon, and the school was told she had won in a letter from education secretary Michael Gove.
The prize, named after Ted Short, the late Lord Glenamara of Glenridding, aims to give pupils experience of careers in public service and education and Natasha was nominated for both her academic achievements as well as her commitment to the community.
Lord Glenamara was a head teacher in Blyth before becoming an MP, and later served as education secretary under Harold Wilson. At the time of his death in May 2012, the 99-year-old was the longest serving member of the House of Lords.
Headteacher John Barnes said: “All of us involved with Astley Community High School are extremely pleased for, and proud of, Natasha.
“This award reflects all the efforts that Natasha has put into her studies, work in the school and work in the community.
“She is a wonderful young lady who always gives of her best.
“It is a pleasure to have her in the school and she represents all that we want Astley students to be.
“The wonderful thing is that so many of our students also give to the school and the community.
“I have no doubt that she will be really embarrassed by all the attention for that is the type of young lady she is, but she deserves the praise because she is a credit to her family, the school, the local community but most importantly to herself.”
Natasha will travel to London to meet the education secretary and will receive a tour of Imperial College London and Durham University.
She will also have the opportunity to spend two days work experience in Mr Gove’s office at the Department for Education.
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Wednesday 22 May 2013
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