Hard work is the key to success at Grangemouth High School

Paul Dunn addressed the youngsters and their parents at the Tinto Drive school’s annual awards ceremony yesterday (Wednesday) night and his theme of effort, persistence and resilience was exemplified by guest speaker Ashley Cameron of young persons advocacy group Who Cares Scotland?.

Ashley, who has come through the care system herself, uses her experience to fight for the rights of children who grow up in care, helping them build their resilience to overcome the barriers they face.

Top of the class at this year’s ceremony was former Beancross Primary School pupil Morgan Reid (16) who was named Grangemouth High School dux for 2017 in April.

“My mum just cried when we found out,” she laughed. “With happiness. I think she has something planned to celebrate, but I don’t know what.”

Morgan’s favourite subjects are mathematics and human biology and she is looking to enjoy a career as a maths teacher.

Currently still in sixth year she hopes to go to university – the University of Stirling ideally – to gain the necessary qualifications to pursue her dream career.

When she is not studying hard for her exams, Morgan likes to relax by walking her pet boxer dog Daisy.

There was no separating the many great educational accomplishments of S6 pupils Allan Dickson and Megan Randalls, so they became Grangemouth High School’s joint proxime accessits for 2017.

Former Bowhouse Primary School pupil Allan (16) counts mathematics, physics and geography as his favourite subjects, but his real interests lie in outer space and he wants to go to university and study the heavenly bodies through cosmology and geophysics.

Megan (16), who attended Beancross Primary School, is interested in English, art and graphics and is planning to go to university to study to become a graphic engineer.

Those pupils were the sprinkles on top of a large educational cappuccino, but there was plenty of froth just below them as can be seen from the host of awards won by pupils.

Mr Dunn said: “Every young person has earned their moment on this stage and needs to know that as a school community we are so proud of them. The focus on building the confidence and resilience of some of our young people who have experienced some difficulties can only continue to bear fruit as these pupils develop into young adults.

“In the past four years we have steadily raised the percentage of S4 pupils attaining at least five National 5 qualifications from 21 per cent to over 35 per cent. In the same timescale the number of S5 pupils with at least three Highers has risen from 17 per cent to over 26 per cent.

“It is really important to remember attainment rates may fall some years. That is inevitable, however, it doesn’t mean we ever stop setting ourselves ambitious targets and push our pupils to try and achieve them.

“Pupils are here tonight because they have been successful, however, you will not always succeed and you will make mistakes. You can’t avoid mistakes. They are only a problem if you keep making them.

“If, however, you learn from them then they can be a source of strength no matter how bad things can seem at the time.”

Grangemouth High School 2017 Award Winners

First Year

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Millie Bowman, Sophie Butler, Emma Dawson, Benjamyn Drummond, Alisa Gallagher, Jack Holmes, Jake Kirkham, Abby Laurie, Tyler Leishman, Jude Maxwell, Freya Morrison, Lucy Morrison, Ciara Mulhall, Mia Pittman, Aiden Ross, Aarron Ross, Sophie Speirs, Tom Speirs, Fred Wilson and Emily Wintrup

Second Year

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Holly Anderson, Katie Barclay, Christopher Beattie, Shaun Cieslar, Jack Dickson, Sophie Golding, Rebecca Madden, George Martin, Zander McKenzie, Elliot Millar, Sophie Morrison, Lewis Morton, Aaron Mulhall, Lewis Page, Shantel Smith, Stephen Stalker, Logan Stirling, Leah Walker and Kayla White Kirstin Young

Third Year

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Jake Anderson, Charlie Bell, Craig Black, Jodie Flood, Dylan McKirdy, Amy McNab, Jeet Navindgi, Sarah Speirs, Joseph Steel, Ethan Whyte and James Wilson.

Fourth Year

Lindsay Adams (Outstanding Achievement in Art and Design); Sulayman Akthar (Outstanding Achievement in German); Gemma Alexander (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lewis Alexander (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Woodwork); Gabriel Allan (Outstanding Achievement in Business); Jordan Bell (Outstanding Achievement in History); Rachael Bell (Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics); Scott Campbell (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Andrew Craig (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science); Lucy Croy (Elliott-Smyth Trophy for Computing); Gavin Dawson (Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry); Nicole Differ (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Robbie Dougall (Outstanding Achievement in English); Taylor Douglas (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Geography and Physical Education); Heather Ferguson (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Business Management and Music); Chloe Fraser (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Shannyn Garrity (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Christian Griffin (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Allana Grigg (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Gemma Howieson (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science); Caitlyn Jones (Outstanding Achievement in French); Kenzie MacLean (Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry); Mia Martin (Outstanding Achievement in Design and Technology); Lewis Maxwell (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Physics, Art and Design); Chloe McElroy (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Callum McPherson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Ethan Muir (Outstanding Achievement in Art and Design); Hannah Parsons (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Simon Paton (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Kyle Peterson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Taylor Platt (Outstanding Achievement in Physics); Chloe Polson (Outstanding Achievement in History); Calum Reid (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Gail Robertson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Shemek Rosinski (Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Communication); Sammy Leigh Ross (Outstanding Achievement in Design and Manufacture, Mathematics); Caitlin Smith (Outstanding Achievement in French);

Klaudia Stawinska (Outstanding Achievement in Art and Design); Rebecca Stewart (Outstanding Achievement in RMPS, Biology, Graphic Communication And Mathematics and Zetland Parish Church: RME); Kyle Syme (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Emma Taylor (Certificate of Personal Achievement and Outstanding Achievement in Drama); Lee Taylor (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Ian Thomson (Outstanding Achievement in English); Izabela Trzybinska (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Geography and English); Mikayla Wallace (Outstanding Achievement in Modern Studies); Shannon Lea Watmore (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Cookery); Callum Whyte (Certificate of Personal Achievement)

Fifth Year

Euan Alexander (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Joshua Bissett (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Rebecca Buchanan (Certificate of Personal Achievement);

Nicole Cunningham (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Cookery); Allan Dickson (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Geography and Physics, Syngenta: Geography); Rachael Dickson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Alison Duncan (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry and German); Bethany Faulds (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lewis Jeffrey (Outstanding Achievement in Human Biology and Accounts, Fitzsimmons Award for Accounting); Robyn Little (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Caitlyn MacKenzie (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Beth Mallace (Outstanding Achievement in History and German); Ayaisha Masoud (Outstanding Achievement in Administration And Information Technology); Owen McCullagh (Practical Cookery Award – Eddie Ward); Cara McGregor (Outstanding Achievement in Administration And Information Technology); Lisa Middleton (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in French); Carly Moore (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Biology); Dawn Muir (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Modern Studies); Samantha Niven (Outstanding Achievement in Drama and Music, The Jim Tierney Award for Mathematics); Matthew O’Dea (TBB Architecture Award – Graphic Communication); Mark Paterson (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Woodwork); Megan Randalls (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Modern Studies and English, The Lilias Hotchkiss Literary Award);

Euan Reid (Outstanding Achievement in History); Morgan Reid (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science, Ava Rice Outstanding Achievement in Accounts); Ami Robinson (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Cake Craft); Filip Rybarczyk (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Mitchell Speirs (Falkirk Football Club Award for Sporting Achievement); Cameron Tonner (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Metalwork)

Sixth Year

Claudia Anderson (Outstanding Achievement in Art and Design); Hayley Bryce (Outstanding Achievement in Design and Manufacture, Fashion and Textile); Ross Campbell (Outstanding Achievement in Personal Finance); Saffron Corbett (Outstanding Achievement in French); Ryan Craig (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics, Administration And Information Technology); Caitlyn Geraghty (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Patrick Gillooly (Outstanding Achievement in Economics); Lauren Jack (Certificate of Personal Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in RMPS, Kirk of the Holyrood: Religious and Moral Education); John Kennedy (Outstanding Achievement in English and Music); Lachlan MacLean (Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics); Cameron MacLeod (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Alison McCreadie (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Natalie Morgan (Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Communication); Nicole Needham (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Cameron Oliver (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lauren Ramage (Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry, Biology and Business Management, CalaChem Award: Chemistry); Chloe Robinson (Unison Business Education Award) Natalie Roncone (Concrete Society Design Award – Design and Manufacture); Olivia Steel (Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Communication); Matthew Thompson (Outstanding Achievement in Leadership); Liam Wallace (Outstanding Achievement in Physics, CalaChem Award: Physics); Alex Watson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lauren White

(Certificate of Personal Achievement)

Special Awards

Special Recognition Award for Services in the Library: Abigail Halliday, Freya Morrison, Mia Pittman, Fred Wilson, Jack Seymour

UK Junior Mathematical Challenge: Gold Certificate S1 and Best in Year Fred Wilson, Gold Certificate S2 and Best in Year Lewis Morton

Junior Musician of the Year Trophy: Abby Laurie

Junior Vocalist of the Year Trophy: Jasmin Milne

Senior Musician of the Year Trophy: Jamie Greenaway

Senior Vocalist of the Year Trophy: Hannah Parsons

Outstanding Achievement in Music Trophy: Samantha Niven

The Scougall Trophy for Drama: Jamie Taylor

James Black Memorial Shield for Artistic Achievement (Junior): Gemma Irvine

Moray Middle School Trophy for Artistic Achievement (Senior): Lewis Maxwell

The Anne Addison Art Trophy: Claudia Anderson

The Paterson Shield for Sporting Achievements (Junior): Millie Bowman

The Abbotsgrange Middle School Trophy for Sporting Achievements: Louise Tilley

The Award for Excellence in Enterprise Education: Morgan Reid

Service to the Wider Community: Olivia Steel

Service to the School: Jamie Taylor and Peter Yang

Saltire Award 200 hours Volunteering: Joshua Bissett, Rachael Dickson, Stacey Rae, Matthew Thompson

The Wider Achievement Award (Athena Learning Ltd): Amy Fotheringham

Joan Fyfe Memorial Trophy: Thomas Wild

GHS Former Pupils Reunion Trophy for Attitude and Attendance: Alex Watson

Lynsey Didcock Memorial Trophy: Erin Cameron

Rotary Club Memorial Trophy: Matthew Thompson

Co-operative Community Award: Amy Marven

Forth Valley Wider Achievement Award: Owen McCullagh

Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awar:d Mark Kemp

Young Enterprise Scotland: Neave Hendrie, Robyn Little, Morgan Reid, Alison Duncan, Seanine Eddie, Rebecca Buchanan, Beth Mallace

Headteacher’s Merit Award: Olivia Rae

House Championship: Kerse

Headteacher’s Award for Service to the School: Kimberly Hastings, Mark Kemp, Ryan Mather, Moir-Brown