Celebrating our annual Learner Awards with Sam Warburton

The Learner Awards Ceremony serves as a platform to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Coleg Gwent’s learners

Our annual Learner Awards Ceremony took place last week to honour inspiring learners and their dedication and achievements throughout the academic year. 

Guest speaker Sam Warburton addressed the audience to give praise to our learners for their commitment to achieving great things. 

Sam Warburton is Wales’ most capped captain and the British & Irish Lions most successful captain in their history. In total, his glittering international career saw him pick up 74 caps, 49 of which he was captain. He won two Six Nations titles and a Grand Slam and ended his career as an undefeated Lions Test captain, having led the team in Australia in 2013 and New Zealand in 2017. Beyond sports, Sam is a published author, podcast host, and entrepreneur, embodying versatility and success both on and off the field. 

He gave learners an insight into inspirational and motivational resilience as well as adaptability and high performance. 

The Learner Awards Ceremony serves as a platform to celebrate the exceptional achievements of Coleg Gwent’s learners. The event highlights the dedication and hard work these remarkable individuals have demonstrated in their studies, extracurricular activities, and communities. 

To receive an award, a learner may have overcome adversity, displayed a positive attitude or exceptional talent, or turned a failure into a success. 

There were 389 nominations this year, a testament to our incredible learners and their resilience and determination to succeed. The nominations were whittled down to 100 Learner Achievement Award winners across the three faculties at Coleg Gwent. Five learners were also selected for special recognition awards.  

This year, we’ve added two new categories to the line-up – the Higher Education Inspiration and Resilience Award, and Higher Education Learner of the Year Award. These new additions aim to celebrate our learners studying a university level course. 

Kamal Ezzeddin, Amelia Williams, Anas Hamasaligh were awarded the Assistant Principal Awards for progress made during their studies. Frederick Annett received the Chair’s Award for overcoming adversity, and Menna Jones won the Principal’s Award for outstanding performance. 

Deputy Principal, Nikki Gamlin said: 

“This event has been an inspiring celebration of dedication, perseverance, and growth. We are enormously proud of our learners’ achievements and of the talented and hard-working team of staff who support them every day to achieve great things. 

“I’d like to thank Sam Warburton for joining us tonight and sharing with us the best version of himself. 

“This celebration serves as a reminder of the power of lifelong learning and the potential we all possess as educators to make a positive impact.  Let us continue to change lives through learning and inspire others through our pursuit of excellence. Congratulations once again to all our winners and award nominees – you inspire us every day.” 

 The 2024 Learner Awards Ceremony took place on Thursday 13 June at The ICC Wales. 

Winners

Assistant Principal Awards –Kamal Ezzeddin, Amelia Williams, Anas Hamasaligh

Chair’s Award – Frederick Annett

Principal’s Award – Menna Jones

Faculty of Creative and Technical Studies

Aerospace Engineering Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Muza Adam 

Electrical Engineering Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Kian Butcher 

Mechanical Engineering Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Rhys Hopkins 

Newport – Osian Townsend Jones 

Motorsport Engineering Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Keavie-Mae Mclaughlin 

Motor Vehicle Engineering Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Amelia Candler / Crosskeys – Ethan Rich / Newport – Samuel Davy 

Multi skills Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Lloyd Price / Newport – Emmanuel Imariagbontua 

Construction Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Kayla Twaite / Newport – Cameron Thompson  

Building Services Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Evan Overton / Newport – Amelia Williams  

Games Design Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Huw Watkins 

E-sports Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Evan Tauati 

Art & Design Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Aaliyah Stevens / Crosskeys – Sean Harding / Newport – Isabella Blake / Torfaen Learning Zone – James Greening 

Media Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Ryan Warlow / Newport – Ioan Bartlett / Torfaen Learning Zone – Charlie Callaghan 

Music Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Katie John / Crosskeys – Eithne Blethyn 

Performing Arts Award 

Crosskeys – Megan Parsons 

Skills Achievement Award 

• Outstanding Contribution in English – Taylor Pope 
• Outstanding Contribution in Mathematics – Ty Jarvis-Pickett 
• Skills for employment/ WBQ- Alexander Mort 

Welsh Language Award 

Sorrel Butler-Bright 

HE Inspiration and Resilience  

Tomos Ebo 

HE Learner of the Year 

Megan Thomas Stone 

Faculty of Care and Community Studies

Childcare Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Alisha Long / Crosskeys – Kieran Tyler / Newport – Hannah Culley / Torfaen Learning Zone – Jessica Twist 

Health and Social Care Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Ellie Gray / Crosskeys – Thomas Williams / Newport – Jerusalem Kijumba / Torfaen Learning Zone – Elana Morgan 

Independent Living Skills Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Abi Phillips / Crosskeys – Craig Morgan / Newport – Ryley Smith / Torfaen Learning Zone – Kayleigh Smith 

Hairdressing Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Elissa Cummings / Crosskeys – Jessica Jackson / Newport – Seren Evans 

Beauty Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Esther Njoku / Crosskeys – Tierney Parker 

Catering & Hospitality Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Frederick Annett 

Travel & Tourism Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Dion Barlow 

ESOL Achievement Award 

Newport – Hoang Pham 

Science Achievement Award 

Newport – Corey Jenkins / Torfaen Learning Zone – Amber James 

Access Achievement Award 

Crosskeys – Rebecca Sayers / Newport – Gemma Morgan / Torfaen Learning Zone – Anas Hamasalih  

Skills Achievement Award 

• Outstanding Contribution in English – Abi Philips 
• Outstanding Contribution in Mathematics – Bethan Llewellyn 
• Skills for employment/ WBQ- Tayah Richards 

Welsh Language Award 

Libby Hodges 

HE Inspiration and Resilience  

Nataliia Kliucho 

HE Learner of the Year 

Lydia Beavis 

Enterprise and Academic Studies

AS Level Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Ethan Davies, Emma Edwards / Crosskeys – Molly Howells, Menna Jones / Torfaen Learning Zone – Nevaeh Carter, Tobias Dallimore 

A Level Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Chloe Simmonds, Kasia Tomsa / Crosskeys – Logan Taylor, Brody Winterflood / Torfaen Learning Zone – Josiah Morgan, Seren Wilkie 

National Diploma in Science 

Crosskeys – Lucia Taylor 

Business Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Maisie Cadwallader/ Crosskeys – Joe Horne / Newport – Kamal Ezzeddin / Torfaen Learning Zone – Jamie Benzey 

Computing Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Aiden Rees / Crosskeys – Molly Bensley / Newport – Nathan Barrett / Torfaen Learning Zone – Ethan Kinge 

Sport Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Morgan Davies / Crosskeys – Susan Rondel / Torfaen Learning Zone – Aron Tugwell 

Public Services Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Holly Rapps / Crosskeys – Masih Hahan / Torfaen Learning Zone – Alex Ouata-Gladwell 

Health and Fitness Achievement Award 

Usk – Damiano Argentieri 

Animal Care Achievement Award 

Usk – Maximus Chaplin 

Vet Nursing Achievement Award 

Usk – Emma Petrie 

Equine Achievement Award 

Usk – Katie Burchell 

Access Achievement Award 

Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone – Selina Richards  

Skills Achievement Award 

• Outstanding Contribution in English – Daniel Rowland 
• Outstanding Contribution in Mathematics – Charlotte Gould 
• Skills for employment/ WBQ- Kida Ball 

Welsh Language Award 

Tegan-Ellen Hopper 

HE Inspiration and Resilience  

Lauren Morris 

HE Learner of the Year 

Summer Chick 

For more information on Coleg Gwent, visit: www.coleggwent.ac.uk