TWO students and a member of staff at Ormiston Park Academy, which is sponsored by Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), have won awards from the Trust for their continued excellence.
Sylvia Stravera, a Year 10 student not only showed exemplary independence during the lockdown, producing work of exceptionally high quality, she also undertook independent learning, researching further information around subject areas so that her knowledge and understanding surpassed the material taught. This is why she has been given the Covid-19 Response Champion Award in recognition for being a ‘remote learning superstar’.
During some lessons, Sylvia also supported small groups of students who were struggling in the virtual break-out rooms and helped to improve their understanding. This had a positive impact on those students and helped with their progress. Sylvia has continued this work since returning to the classroom and is now working as a mentor and helping students in class, being a real credit to every lesson she is in.
Year 11 student Oluwatomilola Olowookere has also been chosen as this year’s runner up for the Trust’s Social Action Award. Tomi, through her unwavering enthusiasm, commitment and ideas, made an enormous contribution to the academy’s #iwill project to fundraise and build a library last year. The #iwill project is a nation-wide initiative aimed at getting students involved in social action.
She participated in and organised many fundraising events to contribute to the new library. One popular event was the Teacher’s Assistant for a Day scheme, which saw students support staff during lessons in return for a contribution to the new library.
When the library was built, there was a tremendous sense of accomplishment throughout the whole academy, but particularly within the #iwill team and those students who had been involved. Prior to #iwill and this project there had been no library at the academy, and so the impact of Tomi’s hard work will benefit students at Ormiston Park Academy for generations to come.
Staff member Florin Nicorici has also been awarded the Enrichment Champion Award for being on a constant mission to expand and improve upon the enrichment opportunities offered to students at the academy. During lockdown, there was a general consensus amongst staff that clubs and extracurricular activities should continue to run, albeit virtually. Flo’s passion and commitment to enrichment made this a reality.
Flo is always on the lookout for the next adventure and is ready to step into any role in order to make a trip happen, even if that means driving the minibus himself. He has led various extracurricular activities including boxing, cooking, chess and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). The highly successful CCF, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, operates in the academy every week and is very popular amongst students.
Flo, who also is Head of year 9, has recently embarked on a huge challenge, signing off his entire year group to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award this year. This offers students a life-changing experience and an opportunity to get to grips with nature while discovering new interests and talents. Flo’s student-first ethos is clear in all he does, and his boundless enthusiasm has been infectious across the whole academy, inspiring students and staff to continue enriching their lives through the lockdown.
Mark Roessler, Principal at Ormiston Park Academy said:
“At Ormiston Park Academy we are dedicated to encouraging our students and staff to get involved with enrichment and extracurricular activities outside of the classroom. It is a great way to support them to pursue a range of different hobbies and becoming well rounded individuals. I am very pleased that this has been reflected in the hard work of Flo, Tomi and Slyvia, they’re truly shining examples of what we stand for.”
