Congratulations to Lillie a Jack Petchey Award Winner!

Lillie has been nominated for the extra efforts she has made over the last few years, and in particular over the last year, to make a real difference to her school.She has supported the library over a number of years, currently helping on Monday and Tuesday during lunchtime, and they know that if they are short and need cover, they normally look to Lillie to help as she is so reliable. As part of this work she has also supported many students on a regular basis to complete homework whilst in the library, providing support and confidence to those struggling or lacking motivation. She has taken on Peer Mentoring and Peer Championing, always looking for ways to encourage and push her fellow students to excel. She helps out at the art dropping sessions on Wednesdays, normally coming up with ideas for new things to undertake, keeping it fresh.She has also been a Drama Director for the year's 7 group. Encouraging the younger students to interact, take part and not feel embarrassed. Helping them build confidence and enjoy performing. Lillie is an Anti-bullying Ambassador, raising awareness and spreading a positive message that there is support and that you can speak up, but importantly highlighting the impact to try and prevent bullying. This also includes writing the various scripts for the anti-bullying training videos for teachers.Lillie has led many assemblies at the request of teachers, and delivered great inputs with passion and enthusiasm. She has taken part on a mental health walk, raising awareness of the effects of bullying, and the general challenges of growing up, showing her commitment to supporting students well-being.Lillie consistently looks for additional ways to support those around her, especially those of the neurodiverse community, pulling on her own challenges and experiences with dyspraxia. She undertook her Jack Petchey speech on the topic, which was delivered with great passion. This is all on top of trying to push her grades up and revise for exams in order to secure a place at sixth form as she wishes to train to be a paramedic - again, helping and supporting those around her.All of this is undertaken whilst also being the Braintree representative at YEA, attending numerous meetings each month and undertaking actions from those, including a recent food bank drive around Christmas, which having approached the school, supported her in one of the largest donations of feminine in hygiene products, the group had ever seen. She attends weekly St. John's ambulance cadets, building a foundation for her chosen career, and again, supporting the younger children to learn and participate. I am incredibly proud of Lillie. She has strived to push outside her comfort zone and take on new challenges, building her confidence, but also seeking to help and support those around her. I feel she is a worthy candidate for this award.