TWO Alton College second year students have been presented with awards for excellence in geography and philosophy.

Flo Stoppani-White, who was previously at Alton Convent School, was presented with the Steve Millar Award for Excellence in Geography – an award given to the student who achieves the highest grade in their AS Geography exam and who is also progressing on to study A2 Geography.

The proud student, who received the award from Steve Millar at a private ceremony at Alton College, said: “I am delighted to be receiving this award and honoured to have been chosen. I am yet to decide what to spend the money on, but I expect it will be books for university or lectures I will attend beforehand.”

Flo has recently completed her application to continue her geography studies next year at either the University of Oxford, Southampton, Exeter, Bristol or Cardiff.

Steve Millar spent more than 30 years working at Alton College in the geography department and in conjunction with the Alton College Foundation he left an annual award for a student excelling in geography.

He explained: “The award has specific requirements for the student to have gained the highest marks and be progressing to A2. Receipt of such an award at the end of the first year going into the second year seemed like the most helpful point in the student’s education and will hopefully be helpful in taking their interest in geography forward to a higher level.”

Nicola Yates, who was previously at The Wavell School, was presented with the Lauren Harris-Jones Award for Excellence in Philosophy. A new award introduced this year, it is given to the student who achieves the highest grade in their AS philosophy exam and who is also progressing to study A2 philosophy.

On receiving the award from Lauren Harris-Jones, Nicola said: “This award came as a complete surprise to me and I’m really excited and grateful to be receiving it. If I’m accepted to university in the United States, I will spend the money on the costs associated with studying abroad.”

Nicola plans to continue her studies in the States and has applied to Skidmore College in New York.

Having worked as a tutor at Alton College for 10 years, Lauren Harris-Jones was keen to introduce a Philosophy Award for Excellence when she left in July this year.

She explained: “Having seen the success of the Steve Millar geography award in helping students take their love of a subject to a higher level, I am keen to replicate the award for philosophy students.”

College principal Sara Russell congratulated the students for their hard work and outstanding grades. She said: “I’m always so proud of how committed our students are. I’m delighted that we can recognise Flo and Nicola with these special awards and provide something to help them with their next steps to university.”

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Trevor Heley, managing director of the Alton College Foundation, said he was “delighted” to see Flo and Nicola receive their awards. And he added: “Both are conscientious students who are great ambassadors for Alton College, their subject, and the Foundation.”