Newcastle College Celebrates Student Success with November Student of the Month Awards

Each month Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group hold a ‘Student of the Month’ awards presentation that highlights and recognises the individual effort, progress and dedication of students who go above and beyond throughout the year.

This month saw the November round of nominees collect their awards. A huge thank you to Aaron Bell MP for joining us and presenting the learners with their awards as we highlighted and recognised the dedication of our students.

The presentations included a number of inspirational stories from staff about their nominees, including; students overcoming personal challenges and going above and beyond on their chosen courses with exemplary attendance and hard work. We've seen some amazing stories of success that we just can't wait to share with you.

Halia Holovatiuk

Nominated for Student of the Month in the Faculty of Academic and Creative Studies, Halia has absolutely excelled in her studies on the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Graphic Design, with an outstanding expected diploma grade of D*D*D*. A truly dedicated student, Halia faced a number of challenges before joining NSCG. In 2022, Halia and her family fled Ukraine to Poland, then to Romania, before coming to the UK and starting school just 4 months before the GCSE exams were due to start. Despite the challenges and English being her third language, Halia achieved grades 5 and 6 in all subjects. From the outset, Halia has proved herself as an ambitious and independent student, one of the most dedicated and hardworking students we have seen on our BTEC courses. Halia’s focus and passion for her creative work is inspirational, particularly notable during the first project where she produced a record sleeve that paid homage to Ukraine.

Luqman Javed

Nominated for Student of the Month in the Faculty of Professional Studies, Luqman has shown unparalleled resilience and unwavering determination to succeed, showcasing a truly inspirational journey on the AAT course. Overcoming barriers due to visual impairment, Luqman navigated challenges with grace. Their patience and understanding in communicating needs to lecturing staff resulted in specially adapted resources, including a laptop and additional support. Luqman's commitment to additional training on computer programs showcases their dedication to accessible learning. Despite personal challenges impacting attendance initially, Luqman's perseverance is remarkable, achieving an impressive 100% attendance since week 3. A recent triumph in passing the Computerised Sage payroll exam reflects their outstanding capabilities and resilience. The entire team is bursting with pride for Luqman's well-deserved success!

Eva Goode

Nominated for Student of the Month in the Faculty of Professional Studies, Eva has been recognised for her outstanding performance in both year 1 and year 2 of the Public Services course. Eva has achieved Distinction in all coursework this year, with a predicted Distinction in the Year 2 exam—a true reflection of her dedication and excellence. As a brilliant class rep, she goes above and beyond to support her peers, demonstrated by her ambitious plan for a cohort trip to London. Eva's meticulous planning has resulted in an exciting residential trip for 18 peers, exploring the British Army Museum, Jack the Ripper Walking Tour, Changing of the Guard, and England's Oldest Prison. With aspirations to study Corporate Law at Keele University or pursue a career in Policing, Eva's dedication to learning Police Powers, Planning and Responding to Incidents is commendable. As she progresses into Criminal Investigation and Research Skills, Eva's bright future is undeniable.