Forget Spider-Man, real student heroes rewarded at academy

By Megan, Jill Dando News, aged 12

Spider-Man and other Blockbuster movie superheroes dominate our TV and cinema screens.

But in a school in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, dozens of real heroes have been rewarded.

Students have been rewarded for kindness, courage and more wonderful character traits and deeds in an glittering online Christmas celebration ceremony.

The students at Priory Community School Academy were honoured in an online ceremony along with their parents and carers under the ‘Heroes’ event with a certificate and celebratory chocolate.

Students were rewarded for acts of kindness, curiosity, generosity, courage, attitude and other character attributes.

Members of the community, parents, carers, fellow students and staff had nominated the students for their acts of kindness.

One boy was rewarded for being totally selfless, another for being kind and generous, and another for litter picking in their spare time. Another organised an online session to help fellow students during the lockdown. One student helped a student to cope with the grief of losing a parent.

One student gave food to the homeless.

Principal Angelos Markoutsas said: “A random single act of kindness can make the world a better place. It has been a tough year this year but all these students are real life heroes. Well done to all of them. Kindness is one of the greatest things you can do.”

CEO of The Priory Learning Trust, Neville Coles said: “I really enjoy this annual event. We are really passionate about rewarding students for what they do. This is about kindness and this is really important to us.”

Some students were rewarded for helping the environment and wildlife, while others were caring for parents and relatives.

Organisers were amazed by the sheer levels of kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness, in one of the most difficult years for decades, due to COVID-19.

Director of Careers at The Priory Learning Trust and organiser of the event, James Wilmot said: “We want people to realise the sheer incredible positive feats that the students are doing, day in day out. You are the pillars of our world.”