Portsmouth High School’s senior students were the proud recipients of achievement awards, certificates and cups this week as friends, family, pupils and staff from the school gathered for an evening of celebration. The guest speaker was an alumna of Portsmouth High School, Annalee Macfarlane (Class of 2022) who has been, since leaving Portsmouth High School on an Apprenticeship Degree at Rolls-Royce, mostly recently a Power Verification Strategy Lead.
Portsmouth High School, GDST, senior awards evening | Sally Tiller, Portsmouth High School
Last year’s leavers returned to school to receive their awards before starting at universities later this month. Courses they are taking range from Politics and International Relations, Geography and Finance to Psychology, Environmental Geoscience, Paramedic Science and Multimedia Sports Journalism.
Attended by The Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Suzy Horton and her Deputy Lady Mayoress, Jo McDougall (both Portsmouth High School alumnae), The Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Tina Ellis and Consort, Councillor Robert Ellis, The Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress of Gosport, Councillor Kevin Casey and Mrs Hazel Casey, Chair of Governors, Commodore Chris Plamer, former Chair of Governors, Mrs Krysia Butwilowska, Editor in Chief of the Portsmouth News, Mr Mark Waldren and other distinguished guests, staff, parents and pupils.
Achievements were celebrated across the older year groups and pupils received awards from sports and drama colours to Duke of Edinburgh Awards, music cups, social responsibility prizes and academic year prizes.
Headmistress, Mrs Sarah Parker, introduced the evening: ‘While academic achievements deserve celebration, they tell only part of the story. The true measure of a school’s success lies in the character of the young people who leave it. We hope our pupils leave not only as accomplished learners but also as thoughtful, compassionate, resilient and courageous young women, equipped to make a positive contribution wherever life takes them.’
Head Girl, India, introduced the guest speaker, Annalee Macfarlane, who said: ‘If I pause and consider my route into aerospace engineering and what has brought me to stand before you today, I am grateful that I never once had to ask the question ‘is engineering the right career for me as a woman?’ At no point throughout my education – or indeed my career – has my gender felt like a barrier, quite the opposite in fact… …far more important than what subjects you choose to study or what university of what job you pursue is to ask the question, “what sort of person do I want to be.”’
Annalee talked about her apprenticeship degree but has recently decided to make a significant career change. She is starting work with Shelter, the national campaign to end homelessness, whilst also undertaking a part-time Masters in International Humanitarian Affairs.
The evening heard speeches from pupils including Alice about the sports tour to Dubai, Sherri on the Krakow trip and Cerys talked about the GDST LEAD business scheme. Music was played by students, Emma, Evelyn and Lauren. Lauren played her own composition ‘Lines’ which won the Never Such Innocence global competition. Never Such Innocence is a charity dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people and children affected by war and conflict. Lauren drew inspiration from a history lesson exploring the impact of the Berlin Wall. Reflecting on the division of families, friends and an entire city, she questioned how such separation could affect so many lives. These ideas formed the emotional core of her song, which examines the human cost of conflict and division.
Lauren also received the Alisha Zaman Memorial Sixth Form Talent Scholarship. This award has been established by annual donations from the family of the late Alisha Jenni Zaman, a student at Portsmouth High School 2004-2017 in loving memory of her time and growing up as a student from Year 1 to Year 13. This scholarship is inspired by Alisha’s wish to give something back to her school where she passed her childhood and early adulthood.
The guest speaker, Annalee, concluded: ‘It’s okay to not know what you want to do with your life. But whatever you do, bring your 100%. And if you don’t like the world you’re in, have the courage to go and change it.’
