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DRS Sponsors National Education Award
Sala Abdalla, 17, a sixth-former at Robert Clack School in Dagenham has won the prestigious Edexcel Academic Achievement Award and a £1,000 prize. Robert Clack School who nominated her, also receives £1,000.
The award, sponsored by DRS, is part of the Edexcel Achievement in Education Awards 2001.
Sala will now go forward to the final stage of the competition and could win the Edexcel Outstanding Student of the Year title. It will be judged at the end of June by a celebrity panel comprising Falklands hero Simon Weston OBE, actor and director Simon Callow, horticulturist and television presenter Charlie Dimmock, writer and performer Arabella Weir and former Beirut hostage Terry Waite CBE. Each has enjoyed exceptional achievements in their own particular field.
Garry Hawkes CBE, Chairman of Edexcel, said: "This is a tremendous achievement for Sala. She has been chosen from a very strong field of exceptional candidates. I am looking forward to meeting her at the awards ceremony in July."
The Outstanding Student of the Year will be announced at a gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster hotel in central London on the 5th July. Guests will include the award winners together with the celebrity panel and VIPs from the world of education. A £5,000 prize is on offer for the overall winner, taking Sala's potential prize winning to £6,000. The money must be spent on personal educational development and will be presented by the Master of Ceremonies, journalist and presenter Phil Gayle.
When she arrived in England from the Sudan, aged 10, Sala Abdalla did not speak a word of English. Seven years on she is a straight A student and plans to train to become a doctor.
"Having been a non-English speaker my early years of education were difficult and challenging," she says. She amazed her teachers with her determination and hard work and achieved an astonishing 9 A* grades and 2 A grades in her GCSEs. She is predicted to achieve A grades in each of her five AS Levels.
Sala has taken an active role in her school, giving up time to help at open evenings and presentations and to represent fellow students in meetings with governors, parents and even former Ofsted chief Chris Woodhead.
With a passion for science Sala is looking forward to taking a summer course in electron microscopy for biologists and has Cambridge University in her sights.
"Sala is a truly exceptional young lady. We know that she will go on to achieve her ambition of becoming a doctor," says Mr Fox, deputy head at Robert Clack School.
Edexcel is the leading provider of vocational and academic qualifications with courses being offered at more than 6,000 schools, colleges and accredited training centres around the country.
Further information about the Edexcel Awards can be found on www.edexcel.org.uk