Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
St Ambrose star Erin nominated for award
Recognition by SQA
A former pupil of St Ambrose High has been nominated as “school candidate of the year” at the Scottish Qualifications Authority prizegiving.
Erin McDermott is one of three pupils shortlisted in the category at the organisation’s annual star awards, which take place in Edinburgh next Friday, following her achievements in exams and wider initiatives at the Coatbridge school.
The Baillieston teenager has recently started a four- year degree course at Duke University in North Carolina, having been offered a prestigious international scholarship after twice spending summers at American universities via a Sutton Trust initiative with the US-UK Fulbright Commission.
Erin’s nomination tells how the high flyer “excelled in Spanish, but was also active [in] the wider school and local community”, and her “achievements include leading the school’s credit union, and promoting financial awareness to younger pupils.
“She led her Higher business management Young Enterprise company, and was invited to attend a speech given by President Obama during his visit to the UK earlier in the year.”
The SQA star awards recognise both individuals who work towards and the organisations that deliver SQA qualifications, and “reward those that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to learning”.
Also nominated in the “training organisation candidate of the year” section are two graduates of Coatbridge- based GMD community services.
Nadia Allan and Jason Smith both progressed their learning and careers through the local organisation; Nadia is now a project worker for Barnardo’s, based in Renfrewshire, while Jason is a community youth worker in West Dunbartonshire.