Camden News - by PAUL KIELTHY Published: 19 March 2009
Sarah Sulley with Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes; right, Hannah Nuh
Somali awards: Top students honoured
HUNDREDS of families were joined by dignitaries from Parliament and City Hall on Thursday to celebrate the achievements of a generation of Somali schoolchildren and students. London’s deputy mayor Richard Barnes and MP Frank Dobson were among those handing out prizes at the educational achievement award ceremony at the London Irish Centre in Camden Town.
Haverstock School’s Abdulkadir Hersi, 16, was the best performing student in the borough, gathering nine grade A GCSE results. Sarah Sulley, 16, from South Camden Community School, and Hannah Nuh, 16, from Parliament Hill School, were also in the top three of GCSE performers.
Organiser Awale Olad, from the Somali Youth Development Resource Centre, said: “These awards began because so many Somali youths were failing at school, and showed a new drive within our community to ensure that people did well at GCSEs and SATs. From being an underclass in education, the Somali community is contributing to society and to Camden’s schools.”