Super students who've impressed tutors, employers and the wider community honoured at college awards

Middlesbrough College's Student of the Year Awards 2024 saw a total of 36 awards being presented to deserving teenage and adult learners.

The ceremony, attended by students, their families, staff, and employers, celebrated achievements across various sectors such as health and social care, construction, engineering, and fashion. The top honours for overall student of the year (16-18 years old) and overall student of the year (adult) went to William Laird and Jessica Schneider respectively.

William, also named Construction Student of the Year, was lauded for his unwavering commitment, resilience, and pursuit of excellence. The T-level electrical student recently won the regional inter-college electrical competition, impressing judges and employers with his skills.

Hailing from Yarm, William has also made significant contributions to communities outside the classroom through his involvement in Botton Village Greenhouse and the Whitby Christmas Market. The judges said: "From perfect attendance to impeccable standards of work in our workshops, he has set the bar high for his peers."

Jessica Schneider, who was named Adult Student of the Year and Childcare Adult Learner of the Year, was lauded for her resilience as she balances family, full-time work, and her studies on a Level 4 Advanced Practitioner course in Early Years.

The judges added: "Jess' attitude to learning is remarkable and even when she feels she cannot continue she is resilient and always finds a way to overcome any challenge that she faces with positivity and determination. Jess is an asset to the L4 Advanced Practitioner group and her knowledge, skills and behaviours shine through within class discussions and have supported her to develop in her role in an Early Settings. Jess has a bright future ahead of her in the Early Years sector and is the definition of 'I can do it'."

The complete list of winners at the 2024 Student of the Year Awards included:.

Applied Science Student of the Year Joe Richardson.

A-level Student of the Year Rebecca Mewse.

Business and Professional Adult Learner of the Year - Ekaterina Verner.

Catering and Hospitality Student of the Year - Catherine Evans.

Catering and Hospitality Adult Learner of the Year - Ivaylo Georgiev Cholakov.

Childcare Student of the Year - Tristan Baker.

Childcare Adult Learner of the Year - Jessica Schneider.

Construction Student of the Year - William Laird.

Construction Adult Learner of the Year - Darrin Knight.

Creative Arts Student of the Year - Grace Wheatley.

MC Digital Student of the Year - Thomas Ealand.

Engineering Student of the Year - Joel Routh.

Engineering Adult Learner of the Year - David Garland.

TTE Student of the Year - Zac Cessford.

Fashion Communications Student of the Year - Lola Crook.

Hair and Beauty Student of the Year - Ellie Robertson.

Hair and Beauty Adult Learner of the Year - Sam Stokes.

Health and Social Care Student of the Year - Freya Hollinshead.

Health and Social Care Adult Learner of the Year - Marc Francis.

Motor Vehicle Student of the Year - Hammish Spittal.

Music Technology and Practice Student of the Year - Chloe Milne.

Performing Arts and Theatre Operations Student of the Year - Rahmona Hartley.

Public Services Student of the Year - Le-Roy Ayitey.

Sport and Leisure Student of the Year - Lauren Taylor.

Sport and Leisure Adult Learner of the Year - Sinead Hynes.

Travel, Tourism and Aviation Student of the Year - Charlie Norman.

Access to HE Student of the Year - Avery Maddison.

Inclusive Learning Student of the Year - Ross Brudenell Trowsdale.

Vocational Steps Student of the Year - Mariam Kakooza.

ESOL Student of the Year 16-18 - Oleksii Baran.

ESOL Student of the Year 19+ - Selamawit Negash.

Adult & Community Learning Student of the Year - Bala Quadiri.

The interesting examples of achievers include:.

- Alyssa Agaimwonyi, who claimed the Above and Beyond Award.

- William Laird snatched the gong for Overall Student of the Year (16-18).

- Jessica Schneider was named as the Overall Student of the Year for adults.

Commenting on the achievement of the learners, Zoe Lewis, Principal and CEO at Middlesbrough College Group, said: "We are fortunate to be home to thousands of amazing students across so many different fields who all have their own story to tell. As a result, it takes truly exceptional performance to be singled out for these awards so our winners deserve all the plaudits which have come their way.

"The awards evening is always an inspiring event and we are very grateful to all our employer partners for sponsoring the individual awards and for helping our award winners and all of our students to reach their potential and achieve their ambitions."

The awards were sponsored by leading businesses and organisations across the Tees Valley, including Caspar Group, Sembcorp Energy UK, Unity Trust Bank, among others.