Phenomenal evening of celebrations at our 2026 Student Awards

On Wednesday 24 June, we invited staff and students to join us at our annual Student Awards celebration. The atrium was full of excitement and pride as we shone a spotlight on the exceptional achievements and commitments of our students. 

Guests entered through a glittering black curtain to discover a stunning balloon arch and balloon letters spelling ‘Class of 2026’, providing the perfect backdrop for the evening’s festivities. 

The event brought together the entire College community, offering an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the triumphs of students from every department. 

Staff nominations recognised students for outstanding achievement, community engagement, academic excellence, and leadership. All award winners were invited to the stage and presented with a certificate, gift voucher and bag of prizes. 

Tutors were bursting with pride seeing their nominees take to the stage and receive their well-deserved prize. Fay Morgan, Programme Director for Uniform Public Services (UPS) and Hairdressing, reflected on the accomplishment of one of her students commenting: “Constance works hard to complete her work to the best standard. She is in College and working all the time she can. She is a kind person, always looking out for other students. Constance is a really lovely girl and would be perfect for a role within uniformed public services.” 

Having won the award for Pathway Champion: Uniformed Public Services, Constance was thrilled to have been nominated by her tutor.  

She said: “Honestly, I was so surprised to win this award, I feel very proud of myself. I really pushed myself out of my comfort zone this year. 

“I went to Thailand with the College and it was my first time on a plane. The trip changed my life and gave me a huge confidence boost. I am really looking forward to travelling again in the future.” 

Constance’s next steps are to study Level 3 Uniformed Public Services at EKC Canterbury College. She credited the College for all the support she had received and mentioned how grateful she is to the class tutors for always believing in her.  

A particular highlight of the evening was when Matthew Smith won the Pathway Champion: Digital Award. Being recognised for his hard work and commitment to his learning made him feel really special.  

Matthew said: “I was told I was nominated, but I didn’t know I had won the award, I feel really proud of myself. I love my course, it is really interesting.” 
 
Matthew was joined at the Awards by his parents and grandparent, all who expressed how proud they were of him for his dedicated attitude. Matthew plans to start the Level 3 Creative Media course with us in September. With his can-do attitude and positive energy, we know he will succeed.  

The evening closed with a speech from Principal, Alexandra Syrotiuk, who thanked guests for their attendance and commented on how proud she is of the outstanding achievements and ongoing success of our students.  

“This year has been pivotal for us at EKC Sheppey College,” she said.  

“Our College is built on the belief that anybody is capable of anything they put their mind to with the right support. We build your confidence and power your resilience, we help you thrive.  

“Our students have completed some outstanding work this year and I am immensely proud. Congratulations to all our winners and nominees!” 

We extend a huge thank you to the hard work of the staff, students and supporters who made this magical event possible. A big thank you to Esther Marsh, from the Sheppey Employer Forum, and Caroline Rogers, from DS Smith for attending and presenting awards to our students. 

Congratulations to all our award winners, we look forward to seeing what you achieve next, and where your future might take you.  

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Our Award winners