Student of the Year 2016

So tonight I won Student of the Year 2016 in the Specialist Institution Awards at Canal Mills, celebrating the achievements of students from Leeds College of Art, Leeds College of Music and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Am I crying while I write this blog post? Yes, I am!

I was very kindly nominated by former Student President and now SU team member, Emma Cook, and was made aware of my nomination last week. I was very thrilled to have been selected but thought nothing of it. We have so many talented students who excel in their specialisms and I was mostly looking forward to meeting them and finding out more about them as creatives.

However, in a strange turn of events - I seem to have won! Wow! I am just so honoured to have been selected and still can't quite believe I won. Having said that, it is such a symbol of all of the hard work I have put into my personal life over the past 4 years; coming to terms with and accepting my severe visual impairment, teaching myself to read Braille for the first time so I can read my mail, learning to pour liquids, chop vegetables and cook my own food safely, learning how to use a long cane for a better sense of mobility - eventually signing up for, being match to and training with my Guide Dog Tami learning routes around our local area and beyond. Then making the brave decision to go back into education, in a different city, and learn new skills and make friends for life on the Access to HE course. This is all only just a snapshot of the things I have undertaken, alongside creating illustrations for the RNIB as their Young Illustrator for 2014, completing projects for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, UK Scouts magazine, Henshaws Society for Blind People, Action for Blind People, Foster Care Associates and Core Assets, speaking at both UK and European Parliament to help push for equal rights for blind people and volunteer for countless charities.

I'm so proud of everything I have achieved and feel so humbled to have had a wonderful introduction by our very own Principal, Simone, who is just fabulous and so supportive of me and Tami. I'm going to enjoy this moment for a little bit longer before heading to bed and going back to reality tomorrow!