ACADEMIC prowess, sheer ambition and undeniable hard work were all recognised at Andover College’s annual Achievers’ Awards.

Held at The Lights, the evening on Wednesday, 6 September showcased the college's most inspiring students with ten different awards.

Principal Tim Jackson said: “Through established connections with local employers and organisations, students at Andover College have access to a wealth of work opportunities that simultaneously enrich their learning and contribute greatly to local businesses.

"It’s this blend of work experience and stellar education that ultimately allows students on A-Level programmes, BTEC professional courses and apprenticeships, to grow into fully-rounded and resilient human beings with bright future prospects.”

This year’s event was launched by guest speaker and Leader of Test Valley Borough Council, Councillor Phil North, whose message to students was: “Be tenacious, determined and persistent. You might not get where you want to go overnight but through tireless, resolute hard work, you will get there as long as you believe in yourself.”

Top accolade, the Principal’s Award, was presented to Alice Bathie for her ability to bind together a passion for art, writing, music and film into a portfolio in spite of difficult circumstances.

Principal Tim Jackson said: “Alice immediately demonstrated the potential to be outstanding.

"She showed extraordinary talent in her subjects, as well as a quirky, mercurial personality that refused to give up, and refused to give in.

"Throughout her two years at Andover College, Alice has showcased all the skills that embody a student with true star quality.”

Lucas Boulton was presented with the Humanities and Social Sciences Achievement Award for his drive, determination and raw talent as a writer.

Lucas said: “My lecturers have been a joy to work with and I will miss them all!

"I’m grateful for the endless support they have provided in realising my academic, creative and personal potential.”

New for this year, The Entrepreneurial Award was awarded to Nathan Mountain and Megan Townsend, who alongside studying a full-time BTEC qualification, built their own production company.

Concluding the ceremony, deputy principal, Martin Simmons, said: “At Andover College, talented and capable students of the town are provided for.

"Our successes are not only a result of the perseverance from our students, but also through our college’s lecturers, staff and the continued support of the industry links around us.”

The 2017 sponsors were: Andover Advertiser; Bioquell UK Ltd; Onimpact; Simplyhealth; Test Valley Borough Council; The Stannah Lifts Group; University of Winchester; Valley Leisure; Winchester School of Art.

Winners:

• Alice Bathie – winner of the Principal’s Award. The Principal’s Award is presented to a student who has demonstrated an outstanding achievement or contribution to the College.

• Lucas Boulton – winner of the Humanities and Social Sciences Achievement Award, sponsored by Andover Advertiser. This award is presented to a learner who has demonstrated excellence in a Humanities or social science subject including law.

• Sam Sutton – winner of the Science and Maths Achievement Award, sponsored by Bioquell UK Ltd. This award is presented to a learner who has demonstrated excellence in a maths or science subject.

• Jack Tibbitts – winner of the Creative and Performing Arts Achievement Award, sponsored by Winchester School of Art. This award is presented to a learner who has demonstrated excellence in a creative or performing arts subject.

• Emma Willis – winner of the Business and Professional Studies Achievement Award, sponsored by Onimpact. This award is presented to a learner who has demonstrated excellence in a business or professional subject (including business, accounts, IT, health & social care and early years).

• Megan Townsend and Nathan Mountain – joint winners of the Entrepreneurial Award, sponsored by Test Valley Borough Council. This award is to celebrate the work of students who demonstrate proactivity and creativity in developing entrepreneurial skills.

• Sean Hirang – winner of the Nigel Spackman Sport Achievement Award, sponsored by Valley Leisure. This award is presented to a learner who has made an outstanding contribution to sports activities.

• Magdalena Brown – winner of the Alan Guyatt Mature Learner Achievement Award, sponsored by The University of Winchester. This award is presented to a mature learner demonstrating outstanding achievement.

• Liming Yang and Mollie Cook – winners of the Personal Achievement Award, sponsored by The Stannah Lifts Group. This award is presented to a learner who has made tremendous progress and effort to reach excellent standards without necessarily achieving the highest grades.

• Sam Sutton – winner of the Academic Achievement Award, sponsored by Simplyhealth. This award is presented to a learner who has worked extremely hard to consistently achieve excellent grades in their chosen programme of study.