Class of 2016 Graduation Ceremony

Birkenhead Sixth Form College’s Class of 2016 were given a grand send-off at their Graduation Ceremony at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton.

Along with recognising each student’s achievements in graduating from the College, the night saw individual prizes for outstanding contributions for some individuals, and was topped off by an inspirational talk from special guest speaker, former College student and Olympic medal gymnast, Beth Tweddle MBE.

Some 25 academic awards were issued by different departments to students whom their teachers felt deserved recognition for their hard work, with all winners congratulated by former World Champion, Ms Tweddle.

The three most honoured prizes were reserved for the Team of the Year, Scholar of the Year and finally the extremely prestigious Student of the Year.

Ellie Jones scooped the revered Student of the Year award: acknowledgment of not only her triple Distinction* in the Health & Social Care BTEC (equivalent to three A* A Levels) but also her contribution to the College community, where amongst other charitable endeavours, she set up a group for any students feeling lonely or struggling to make friends who wanted a peer to talk to along with their Personal Tutor.

Joe Bowly’s incredible three A* grades at A Level saw him claim the Scholar of the Year award, and he leaves the College with shining references from every staff member who has taught or interacted with him over the last two years.

Team of the Year went down to a three-way decision on the night, with the College’s Regional Champions and national finalists for the Bar Mock Trial coming out on top. The team of Law students beat local grammar school competition to win the Chester region contest, and did the College proud in the UK final at the Old Bailey in London.

They narrowly edged out the Boys Football First XI, who lifted the Wirral Cup for the fourth time in five years after beating Neston 3-2 in an action-packed Final at Tranmere Rovers’ Prenton Park, and the Student Ambassador Team. The Ambassadors, led by Student of the Year, Ellie, and fellow Head Student, Breandon Fawcett, were unerring in their help with College events and activities, and conducted themselves with aplomb as representatives of the student body.

After presenting students with their graduation scrolls, Ms Tweddle regaled the audience with stories from her gymnastic career, focussing on overcoming the many hurdles that can come your way.

A veteran of three Olympic Games, her debut in Athens in 2004 led to a drive to not just compete but to win a medal at Beijing 2008 – a dream that was shattered by the tiniest of faults pushing her back into fourth place, missing out on a medal by 0.25 of a point.

She said: “Since I’ve retired, my coach has been honest with me and said that she thought, at that moment, that I might not walk back into the gym again.

I went on holiday and halfway through that holiday, I said to my best friend: ‘I can’t give up. I had that dream in Athens, I’ve got the opportunity to go to London so I can’t give up on that dream’. I phoned my coach and said that I’d be back in the gym on Monday. She gave me one condition: that I walk in with the same attitude as I did when I was 12-years-old.”

Having to work for four more years to eventually realise her Olympic dream with a bronze in her home country in 2012, Ms Tweddle continued: “Beijing was something I learned from, that I’d gained experience from so I put it in a box because there’s no point dwelling on it. There’s nothing you can change about it now, you just have to use it to work on for the future.”

She concluded with some inspiring words of advice for the Class of 2016: “If you’ve got a dream, don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot achieve it. There were so many people on my way that said ‘you can’t do it, you’re the wrong height, you’re the wrong shape, you’ll never be an international gymnast’. I’m not going to say it’ll be an easy road, because it won’t be, but if you’re willing to give it that little bit extra, that extra hard work and determination, then you really can achieve your dream.”

The ceremony was rounded off by incoming head students, Emily Wagstaff and Louis Earley giving some words of thanks to all involved.

Class of 2016 Graduation Ceremony