Five Telford College students have been recognised for making a ‘significant difference to their local community’.
Rebecca Copeland, Abbi Sharp, Amelia Finn, Emma Pearson and Isobel Mockett were among the winners of the 2020 High Sheriff of Shropshire’s Outstanding Young Citizen awards.
The awards are given in recognition of ‘excellent and outstanding attitudes and actions’ among young people across the county.
Rebecca Copeland, a Telford College 7th Form student, is a young leader in the scouting movement who has just been appointed Youth District Commissioner for the Tern Valley area.
She is also an assistant teacher at Telford Stage School, where she teaches performing arts to children between the ages of four and 10.
Emma Pearson, on the college’s entry levels workskills programme, originally found interacting with people difficult, but has blossomed to not only lead a team of peers running a breakfast kitchen on her catering course, but also to work front-of-house, serving customers.
Isobel Mockett has many interests outside Telford College, recently coming second in a young writer’s competition, and competing in a national kayaking competition. She runs her own cake-making business, and delivers magazines in her village.
Abbi Sharp and Amelia Finn are both on Telford College’s public services course, training them for a career in the armed forces.
Amelia has been volunteering for Dawley Town Council for more than three years, helping to organise weekly dinners for pensioners and a breakfast club in the school holidays. She has also organised fun days, out-of-school trips and activities for holiday clubs.
Abbi made history when she was asked to become standard bearer for the local branch of the Royal British Legion – the youngest standard bearer in the West Midlands. She has also represented the branch at a number of official events and charity fundraisers.
Dr Josh Dixey, High Sheriff of Shropshire, handed out the awards at this year’s ceremony, which was hosted by Telford College in front of an audience of around 200 people.
He said: “The nominations demonstrate the great variety of activities and events in which young people are involved, such as environmental, political and caring projects, as well as many other voluntary community activities.
“In our society, there are a lot of remarkable young people who do an immense amount of good for their communities.
“We all hear so much about young people who cause difficulties in our society, and I do hope that the awards help the general public to recognise how much good there is in our younger generation.”
