Top performing students have been basking in the limelight at their annual Achievement Awards at Canary Wharf’s prestigious Hilton Hotel.

East London Advertiser: 'Hands on' night of entertainment at Tower Hamlets College student awards'Hands on' night of entertainment at Tower Hamlets College student awards (Image: Guy Levy)

BBC News and London Live TV presenter Claudia-Liza Armah presented the awards to students from Tower Hamlets College in London’s East End last Thursday with College Principal Gerry McDonald.

Bethnal Green & Bow MP Rushanara Ali, a governor and former student of the college, presented the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement to Fela Maslen, 18, from London Fields.

East London Advertiser: TV presenter Claudia-Liza Armah (left) and College Principal Gerry McDonald (far right) with four of the student award winnersTV presenter Claudia-Liza Armah (left) and College Principal Gerry McDonald (far right) with four of the student award winners (Image: Guy Levy)

Highlights of the evening included Nadeem Sayeed, 19, from Bow, who won the ‘Humanities Student of the Year’ and was recognised for his mentoring support to fellow students and being selected by the US government for a global conference on issues concerning young Muslims.

Ashton Fulgence, 24, from the Isle of Dogs, won ‘Creative Arts Student of the Year’ and is currently working at Spitalfields Music as a digital marketing apprentice. He presented an interactive presentation to leading media industry professionals as part of his course.

Ameera Khanom, 19, from Bethnal Green, won the ‘Contribution to College Life’ award for volunteering as a Student Ambassador at local schools in the East End, reading to children and taking part in Futurevarsity summer school.

Other winners included ‘Young Learner of the Year’ Rebecca Mitchell, 18, from the Isle of Dogs, currently an artist-in-residence at Mudchute city farm, and ‘Apprentice of the Year’ Lewis Boulcher now working at the National Theatre who beat off 50 rival applicants and also met the Queen on her visit there.

Adult Learners included ‘Access Student of the Year’ Lisa Sayers, 27, from Bow, for outstanding commitment to her studies while working full time in the evenings and weekends who starred in a TV commercial for the college this summer, ‘Adult Learner of the Year’ Ripa Begum, 26, from Poplar, for self-motivation and determination to complete her studies after giving birth at Easter, and ‘Aspirations Student of the Year’ Terry Donnan, who developed use of sign language to be more independent.

The awards were sponsored by media organisations such as Archant Newspapers publishers of the East London Advertiser, Thomson-Reuters global news-agency, Konica Minolta printers and Bouygues Telecom, as well as KPMG accountants.

+++

Photos: Guy Levy