Craig is Grangemouth High’s number one pupil

This year’s Grangemouth High School dux is a number loving guy who has reached the very top of his academic career in secondary school.
Head teacher Paul Dunn with dux for 2019 Craig BlackHead teacher Paul Dunn with dux for 2019 Craig Black
Head teacher Paul Dunn with dux for 2019 Craig Black

Craig Black, who played a bit of rugby as a second row forward, physically towers above most of his fellow pupils and now he has received the highest honour the school can award.

The 17-year-old, who lives in the town’s Ronaldshay Crescent, has just entered his sixth year at the high school. A hard worker who counts mathematics and modern studies as his two favourite subjects, Craig knew he would do well but did not think he would be named as his school’s top pupil.

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He said: “It was great to hear, but it was a bit of a surprise. It is what it is.”

The former Moray Primary School pupils is an avid fan of Rangers FC and knows exactly what he wants to do when it comes time to pursue a career.

“I want to be an actuary – I’ve always been obsessed with numbers.”

An actuary is a business professional who deals with the measurement and management of risk and uncertainty and Craig aims to use his talents with numbers to move into the field of actuarial science.

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The only university which currently offers a degree in actuarial science is Edinburgh’s Heriot Watt, where Craig hopes to go when he leaves Grangemouth High.

Proxime accessit for 2019 is another pupil who has just entered his sixth year at Grangemouth, Jack Seymour.

The lads were just two of the success stories from a great academic year, which was celebrated at the school last week with inspiring words from guest speaker, stand up comedian Anna Devitt.

Head teacher Paul Dunn also had good things to say about pupils, staff and parents.

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“Mums, dads and family members, whether they are the school dux or the winner of a junior award, 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.

“Throughout this session our pupils have delivered the goods across such a wide range of areas – in the academic, sporting and the arts we have seen our fair share of successes this session.

“Pupil attainment remains as paramount importance to us. In the past five years we have maintained improvements and raised the percentage of S4 pupils attaining at least 5 National 5 qualifications by over 15 per cent.

“In the same timescale the percentage of S6 pupils with at least three Highers has doubled. We know attainment levels will not always rise. This is not a supermarket and pupils are not tins of beans.

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“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 and staff to try to achieve them.”

Grangemouth High School Awards 2019:

FIRST YEAR

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Greig Bamford, Kai Bowman, Aedan Couser, Lucy Hume, Karolina Kurdziel, Katie Liddle, Elisabeth Lyons, Kieran MacGregor, Mila McAinsh, Paige McGinlay, Lauren Meichan, Daniel Morrison, Summer Noe, William Reid, Bethany Spowart, Caitlin Tamlin-Young, Shannon Ure, Robyn Vause

SECOND YEAR

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Colin Binnie, Roan Buckham, Ellis Calder, Kyle Campbell, Arwin Faichney, Katie Fraser, Regan Galletly, Vaishnavi Ginna, Gregor Hunter, Greer Hunter, Lucy Kemp, Rachel Macdonald, Antoni Madden, Charlotte Makin, Eva Nicolson, Amanda Reid, Marcus Simpson, Olivia Stewart, Angus Tulloch

THIRD YEAR

Certificate of Personal Achievement: Chloe Ashe, Emma Campbell, Emma Dawson, Jerry Differ, Benjamyn Drummond, Karys Findlay, Maizah Javed, Abby Laurie, Ellie Lochrie (Kirk of the Holyrood RME), Emily McNeill, Freya Morrison, Aaron Ross, Fred Wilson

FOURTH YEAR

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Christian Allan (Outstanding Achievement in Photography); Holly Anderson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Merah Anderson (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Christopher Beattie (Outstanding Achievement in Design and Manufacture, Graphic Communication and the Concrete Society Design Award, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Jack Cameron (Outstanding Achievement in SfW Laboratory and History); Shaun Cieslar (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Jack Dickson (Outstanding Achievement in English, Modern Studies and Mathematics, Elliott-Smyth Award for Computing); Ellie Easton (Outstanding Achievement in Business Management); Maya El-Matari (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Erin Fegan (Outstanding Achievement in Art); Ross Forsyth (Outstanding Achievement in Applications of Maths); Lee Gilchrist (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education and Practical Woodworking); Sophie Golding (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science); Leigh Ann Green (Outstanding Achievement in English); Amy Grome (Outstanding Achievement in Administration and Music); Jamie Harrower (Outstanding Achievement in Music Technology); Aaron Hendrie (Outstanding Achievement in Drama); Aiden Holmes (Outstanding Achievement in Art); Leonna Howieson (Outstanding Achievement in RMPS); Amy Jaffa (Outstanding Achievement in English); Matthew Keegans (Outstanding Achievement in Physics); Kieran Kuhn (Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry); Caitlin Leebody (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Callum Mack (Outstanding Achievement in Drama, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lauren Manson (Outstanding Achievement in Administration, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Zander McKenzie (Outstanding Achievement in RMPS); Alisha McNab (Outstanding Achievement in French, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Elliot Millar (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Lewis Morton (Outstanding Achievement in Biology and Chemistry, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Aaron Mulhall (Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Communication, Geography and Physics, Syngenta Award for Geography); Georgia Norwood (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Cookery); Chloe Oliver (Outstanding Achievement in Modern Studies); Codey Pickering (Outstanding Achievement in Geography); Emma-Lou Scarlett (Outstanding Achievement in Photography); Samantha Simpson (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Shantel Smith (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science); Holly Sneddon (Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics); Euan Tulloch (Outstanding Achievement in History, German and Physics, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Leah Walker (Outstanding Achievement in Computing Science); Ethan Williams (Outstanding Achievement in Art)

FIFTH YEAR

Eli Allan (Outstanding Achievement in Applications of Maths); Kaitlin Anderson (Outstanding Achievement in Art); Jake Anderson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Krisztian Bakon (Outstanding Achievement in History); Craig Black (Outstanding Achievement in Business Management, Modern Studies Mathematics, Physics. Unison Award for Business Education and The Jim Tierney Award for Maths); Rachel Cairns(Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry); Jennifer Clark (Outstanding Achievement in Accounts and the Award for Accounting); Abby Cook Outstanding Achievement in English and The Lilias Hotchkiss Literary Award, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Leia Godfrey (Outstanding Achievement in German); Jack Hawthorne (Science Award for Endeavour, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Amy MacDonald (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Amy Mackenzie (Outstanding Achievement in Accounts N5); Andrew McKinnon (Outstanding Achievement in Personal Finance); Rory Meikle(Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Kerry Middleton (Outstanding Achievement in RMPS); Kaytlyn Mitchell (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Cookery); Alisdair Morton (Outstanding Achievement in Biology); Lisa Muir (Outstanding Achievement in Drama); Jeet Navindgi (Outstanding Achievement in Music); Robbie Rhodes (Outstanding Achievement in Music); Jack Seymour (Outstanding Achievement in Geography and Human Biology); Sarah Speirs (Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Communication, TBB Architecture Award); Morgan Sweeney (Practical Cookery Award); Joseph Steel (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Leah Thomson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); James Wilson (Certificate of Personal Achievement)

SIXTH YEAR

Gemma Alexander (Outstanding Achievement in French, Certificate of Personal Achievement); Scott Campbell (Calachem Award for Chemistry); Gavin Dawson (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Taylor Douglas (Outstanding Achievement in Physical Education); Lewis Maxwell (Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry and Biology); Callum McPherson (Outstanding Achievement in Practical Woodworking); Kyle Peterson (Zetland Parish Church: Religious and Moral Education); Rebecca Sneddon (Certificate of Personal Achievement); Rebecca Stewart (Outstanding Achievement in Design and Manufacture and Graphic Communication); Kyle Syme (Outstanding Achievement in Art); Lee Taylor (Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics and Physics, Ineos Award for Physics); Jamie Taylor (Outstanding Achievement in Photography); Izabela Trzybinska (English as an Additional Language Award for Achievement); Cameron Young (Outstanding Achievement in RMPS)

SPECIAL AWARDS

Special Recognition Award for Services in the Library – Lucy Davis, Hayleigh Martin, Hristo Damyanov, Rachel MacDonald, Vaishnavi Ginna; UK Junior Mathematical Challenge – Gold Certificate S1 and Best in Year, Gold Certificate S2 and Best in Year; Junior Musician of the Year Trophy – William Lawless; Junior Vocalist of the Year Trophy – Chloe Ashe; Senior Musician of the Year Trophy – Sophie Morrison; Senior Vocalist of the Year Trophy – Hannah Parsons; Outstanding Achievement in Music Trophy – Hannah Parsons;

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The Scougall Trophy for Drama – Leah Strathie; James Black Memorial Shield for Artistic Achievement (Junior) – Brodie Dooley; Moray Middle School Trophy for Artistic Achievement (Senior) – Aiden Holmes; The Anne Addison Art Trophy – Nicky McGrory; The Paterson Shield for Sporting Achievements (Junior) – Jake Kirkham; The Abbotsgrange Middle School Trophy for Sporting Achievement (Senior) – Elliot Millar; Falkirk Football Club for Sporting Achievement – S3 Football team with James Black (Captain); Award for Exceptional Progress (Additional Support Centre) – Lee Taylor; Award for Progress (Support for Learning Department) – Izabela Tryszbinska; Service to the Wider Community – Hannah Parsons; Service to the School – Scott Campbell; Service to the School Community (Rotary Club) – Jamie Taylor; The Wider Achievement Award (Athena Learning Ltd) – Chloe Oliver; Joan Fyfe Memorial Trophy – Brooke Burnett; GHS Former Pupils Reunion Trophy for Attitude and Attendance – Andrew Craig; Lynsey Didcock Memorial Trophy – Megan Mundie; Forth Valley Wider Achievement Award – Jenna Black; Heriot Watt University Leadership Award – Jack Dickson; Junior Leadership Academy Award donated by the 59ers of Gramngemouth – Freya Morrison, Fred Wilson; Senior Leadership Academy Award donated by the 59ers of Grangemouth – Lewis Morton; Headteacher’s Merit Award – Freya Morrison, Lewis Morton; Disability Sports Athlete of the Year – Ryan Flynn; House Championship Trophy – Kerse House; Interhouse Sports Day Champions – Avon House; Interhouse Sporting Champions – Lucy Hunter, Craig Gair; Headteacher’s Award for Service to the School – Heather Ferguson, Hannah Parsons, Olivia Masterman, Taylor Douglas