Robyn is the student of the year

Robyn Sayers from Ballakermeen High School has been named Barclays Wealth Student of the Year.

She officially received the award from Ian Hodgkinson, head of corporate for Barclays Wealth, at the company’s offices on Victoria Street in Douglas.

The second place prize of £50 was given to Ruth Corlett of St Ninian’s High School.

Both Robyn and Ruth travel to London on October 17 (Friday), staying for two nights in the Marble Arch Thistle Hotel with tickets to see Billy Elliot on Saturday evening.

Three runners-up, Alison Hinds from Castle Rushen School, Simon Lynch from QEII and Rebecca Owen from Ramsey Grammar School, were all presented with a £25 prize.

Mr Hodgkinson said: ‘It is my great pleasure and honour to be able to present these awards to the students. The standard as ever has been exceptional.

'We hear a lot of bad press about young people today and don’t often get to celebrate the vast majority of young people, working hard both at school, and within the community as a whole. It goes without saying that all of the relatives and friends of the five finalists must be extremely proud of them. They are all winners.’

Anne Craine MHK, Minister for Education (pictured), who also attended the presentation said: ‘My congratulations go to all of those who were selected to be considered for this prestigious award.

‘This competition has been sponsored by Barclays Wealth for 13 years now and we are grateful to them for recognising the very best of our students in this way.

‘Each of these young people has special qualities and I know that to judge between them was an extremely hard task. We can be very proud of them and must recognise, in addition to the support they receive in school, the help and encouragement that their parents and families give them to allow them to aim high and be successful.’