Our Prizewinners

Samson Thongs-George:  Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 4 A*s, 4 A, 1B and 1 C     
School: Edmonton County School, Edmonton
Other: Samson is a keen athlete who captained the school’s basketball, football and cricket teams from year 7 through to year 11. His dramatic and musical ability has seen him participate in school performances, in both acting and musical roles. Recently Samson was nominated by the school, and achieved the ‘Student of the Year Award’ a great accomplishment in a year group of 270 students. 

Nadine Williams: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 11 A, 1B, 1C     
School: Prendergast Hilly Fields College, Brockley
Other: Nadine is a registered young carer who assists with the care of her disabled brother. Within school she is a member of many clubs including drama, chamber choir, cheerleading, reading, astronomy and Japanese. As a language Ambassador at the school she is mentoring a younger Japanese student. Nadine enjoys performing arts, achieving the Dance Leader Award last year for her performances during the Black History month.

Healson Ihuoma:  Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 4 A*
School:  Seven Kings High School, Ilford
Other: Healson won the school’s prestigious ‘Chemistry Student of the Year Award’.  For the last two years he has undertaken voluntary work in a care home, providing support, company and friendship to elderly residents.  Healson is a keen athlete and a member of Essex County Long Jump team. 

Jennifer Labwo:  Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 3 As  
School: St Angela’s & St Bonaventure’s, Forest Gate
Other: Jennifer is the main carer of her mother and her brother.  In order to complete her studies she had to study from home, keeping in regular contact with teachers and where necessary posting coursework to the school.  Jennifer does voluntary work to promote HIV awareness

Keryl Justin Williams: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at Higher Education award
Grades: First Class Honours degree in Maths
School:  The University of Greenwich  
Other: Keryl worked to financially support himself through University. Keryl was instrumental in the renewed interest of his peers to the Maths Society (MathSoc), and was elected President of this initiative.  He has been a positive ambassador of the University, and as part of the Student Associate Scheme taught mathematics in a local school. His enthusiasm, courage and determination have never faltered despite many personal difficulties.

Promise Campbell: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at Higher Education award
Grades: BA (Hons) English
School: St Catharine’s College, Cambridge  
Other: Promise personally applied to St Catharine’s College, to read English. Her dedication and hard work were rewarded when in the final year she received the prestigious honour of being named the top classed student reading English. Promise sang in the College Chapel Choir, and produced the Fresher’s Play.  She volunteers for many different charities.  Promise enjoys sports particularly netball.


London Schools and the Black Child Awards 2009

James Hunter: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 9 x A* and 3 x A at GCSE
School: Highlands School in Enfield
Other: James plays piano to grade 7 and is a member of the street dance troupe “Hypnotik Entertainment” helping them to win the 2009 UDO British Dance Championships. Attending professional drama school James has already landed himself several small television parts. James is a Gold Award Winner and Olympiad Competitor at the UKMT Maths Challenge. He completed a 3 month volunteering programme reading to special needs students and he takes part in tennis competitions

Lady-Namera Ejaimike: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 10 x A* and 1 x A at GCSE
School: Our Lady's Convent High School in Hackney
Other: Lady-Namera was a member of the School Council for three years and was a founder member of the school's Debating Society. She is a regular competitor in Ballet competitions. She volunteers for the St John's Ambulance.

Tommy Williams: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 4 x A at A Level and 1 x A at AS Level
School: Leyton Sixth Form College, Leytonstone
Other: Tommy was a mentor for A Level students at his college. He completed a summer internship at Deutsche Bank. He is the first student in his borough to get a place at the University of Oxford's most competitive course this year - Economics and Management.

 

Tanesha Bryan: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 3 x A at A Level and 1 x B at AS Level
School: St Angela's Ursuline and St Bonaventure's Sixth Form
Other: Tanesha was a mentor for Chemistry students in her sixth form. She is currently working in the Social Sciences department of the school in order to gain experience of working in education for her future goal of becoming an Educational Psychologist. She volunteers in a local charity shop and in a care home for the elderly.

Lawrence Webster Price: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award
Grades: First Class degree in History
School: Merton College, University of Oxford
Other: Lawrence was an active member of the Tennis Society and the History Society at his university. He takes part in fundraising activities for children's charities.

Nanayaa Hughes-Brittain: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award 
Grades: First Class masters degree in Engineering (Material Engineering in Medicine)
School: Queen Mary, University of London
Other: Nanayaa received the highest mark of all Engineering students at Queen Mary's in 2009. During her studies she won three prizes and has been nominated for two more by the university. She completed a work experience placement in Malaysia and was an ambassador for her university during school visits and open days.

Chidi Amadi: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 10 x A* and 5 x A at GCSE
School: Dunraven School in Steatham
Other: Chidi represented his school in a variety of ways, including as an active member of the Junior Leadership Team.
Currently: Studying for A Levels

 

Cynthia Akpobi: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 10 x A* and 1 x A at GCSE
School: St Angela's Ursuline School in Forest Gate
Other: Cynthia was a member of the school's Gospel Choir and the school council. She won an award for her Spanish work. She received the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award.
Currently: Studying for A Levels



Foad Mohamed: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 4 x A at A Level
School: Thomas Tallis School in Greenwich
Other: Foad arrived in the UK from Somalia aged nine, having not been taught to read or write. He served as a translator for Somali parents at school. He was chairperson of the school council and captain of the football team.
Currently: Studying Medicine at Oxford University


Sydney Vieira: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 4 x A and 1 x B at A Level
School: St Dominic's Sixth Form College in Middlesex
Other: Sydney volunteered with Mencap helping to run a Saturday playgroup for autistic children.
Currently: Studying at King's College London




David Charles: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at Higher Education award
Grades: First Class degree in Biology
School: Imperial College London
Other: David was Vice-President of the Royal College of Science Student Union. He also mentored other students.
Currently: Continuing his studies at Imperial, he is now President of the Royal College of Science Student Union


Shardae Smith: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at Higher Education award
Grades: First Class degree in Mathematics and Statistics with Finance
School: Queen Mary's, University of London
Other: Shardae volunteered for a charity mentoring schoolchildren from Hackney
Currently: Working for the charity full-time before taking up a post as a trainee actuary




London Schools and the Black Child Awards 2007

Kalil Rouse: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 11 x A* and 1 x A at GCSE
School: Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet
Other: Kalil won an award for his rugby-playing at school. He was also involved in the school choir.
Currently:



Lasian Palmer-Stephenson: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 10 x A*, 4 x A and 1 x B at GCSE
School: Phoenix High School in Hammersmith
Other: Lasian was the chair of the school council, she was head girl and she was the vice-chair of the youth parliament.
Currently: Completed A Levels in Psychology, Philosophy, History and English Literature. Would like to have a year out before going to university


Martin Edobor: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 3 x A at A Level
School: Seven Kings High School in Ilford
Other: Martin achieved on of the top 10 scores in the country in his Psychology exam. He was a peer mentor for primary school students, he volunteered with mentally ill patients in a local hospital and with elderly people at a local care home.
Currently: Studying Medicine at University College London


Gbemi Coker: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 3 x A at A Level and 1 x A at AS Level
School: Wallington High School in Wallington
Other: Gbemi was head girl at her school. She was a member of the gospel choir and she took part in the peer-support programme.
Currently: Studying at Pembroke College, University of Oxford



Robert Knox: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award
Grades: First Class degree in Law
School: Downing College, University of Cambridge
Other: Robert was one of the few students to gain an Arts and Humanities Research Council scholarship to fund his postgraduate research
Currently: Studying for his PhD at Cambridge. Robert came fifth in the year for his exams last year and was awarded the Clive Parry Prize for International Law


Yvette Gyamfi: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award
Grades: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; First Class degree in Medical Genetics
School: St George's, University of London
Other: Yvette was a member of the editorial board of the student magazine. She trained as a clinical skills demonstrator to help other students with their work and she trained as an assessor of pre-clinical students.



London Schools and the Black Child Awards 2006

Tendai Sibanda: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 12 x A*, 1 x A and 1 x B
School: Phoenix High School, Hammersmith
Other: Tendai's teachers admired his ability to set himself challenging targets and his focus.





Abiola Ogunbiyi: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at GCSE award
Grades: 10 x A* and 2 x B
School: Wallington High School for Girls
Other: Abiola was a keen musician at school - playing the piano to grade 6 and the flute to grade 8 and singing in the choir. Her Textiles GCSE was in the top five marks in the country.




Alex Mbaya: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 2 x A and 2 x B at A Level
School: Hackney Community College
Other: Alex had only been in the UK and learning English for two years when he took his A Levels.
Currently: Working at Goldman Sachs



Annique Simpson: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement at A Level award
Grades: 4 x A at A Level
School: St Charles Catholic Sixth Form
Other: Annique undertook work experience writing visual reports on arts event for the BBC. She also mentored disadvantaged young people in London.

Bruk Woldegabreil: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award
Grades: First Class degree in Economics
School: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
Other: Bruk arrived in the UK escaping the Ethiopean-Eritrean war but settled into school and gained excellent GCSE and A Level results. He was given the headteacher's award in his final year at school.



Rachel Amosu: Winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education award
Grades: Upper Second degree in Human Sciences
School: Magdalen College, University of Oxford
Other: Rachel was an active member of the Oxford Access Scheme, encouraging disadvantaged students to apply for Oxford. She was a member of the university's African-Caribbean Society and the women's cricket team.