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Awards recognise amazing achievements of HSDC Adult Learners

June 24, 2021

Certificate being handed to student Mercy Romero

Resilient and dedicated adult learners at HSDC have been celebrated at an awards evening sharing student successes.

Awards in a range of categories were handed out to hardworking students at a celebration put together by the Skills For Life and Adult Learning team. This year’s edition of the annual ceremony was held on Monday 14 June, in the College restaurant at South Downs Campus.

There were a total of 21 award nominations for full time and part time students from across the Maths, English and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses.

Mercy Romero was one of two students to win an award for Overcoming Challenge Against All Odds after her amazing efforts at the College. Her teacher Charlotte Lovie, who nominated Mercy for this award, said:

“When Mercy came to the UK, she was exploited by her employer and left with no job, nowhere to live and no papers. Her support worker brought her to Friendship House to enrol her in English classes and since then Mercy hasn’t looked back.

“She was nervous at the start, but soon made many friends and attended three classes each semester. Her attendance and exam success have been great, despite her very difficult situation.”

Certificate being handed to student Amelia DebrexAmelia Debrex was one of the younger award winners, for Exceptional Progress in English. Her teacher Hannah Enticknap gave a glowing account of the progress she has made this year. Functional English lecturer Hannah said:

“Amelia always comes to lessons with a good attitude, even through lockdown and remote learning, and is keen to complete the work asked of her. She is kind and considerate of others, listens when they are speaking and asks for help when she needs it.

“She works really well with others and enjoys contributing to class discussions. I am very proud of her for achieving her grade this year and for her growing confidence which always shines through.”

At the end of the presentations, Skills For Life Learning Manager Sam Woodland reflected on the past year. Sam said:

“In March last year our provision got graded outstanding by Ofsted. A week later we went into lockdown, and the year that followed saw a move into remote learning that was as challenging for the teachers as for the students.

“I have been so impressed by the adaptability of our students, who worked so hard to get the most from their courses in difficult circumstances. I hope the qualifications you’ve all achieved will help you on your future paths.”

This year, the South Downs Campus alone has supported more than 1,000 students with English, Maths and ESOL.

Visit our Adult Learning page to learn more about the courses available at HSDC.