Shropshire student named as runner-up for prestigious national award

Saratu Ethrel Momoh, 17, a sixth form student at Acton Burnell-based Concord College, achieved the recognition in the Pearson World Changer Awards.

Her achievement was in ‘The Creatives’ category based on changing the world through creativity, expression and perspective.

Pearson is a British owned education publishing and assessment service to schools, corporations and students directly.

According to Pearson, the awards were designed to ‘highlight the power of education and demonstrate how subjects cross the wider curriculum can help drive positive change in the world'.

Saratu, whose nationality is American, started at Concord College in September 2016 and hopes to study economics and business management at Kings College London in 2021.

As part of her extended project qualification (EPQ), Saratu submitted a performance video of spoken word and an accompanying document based on racial equality.

She said: “The spoken word piece was about seven minutes in length, but the research and writing processes of my EPQ have taken almost a full year.

“My inspiration came from reading a book, ‘The Little Rock Nine: Struggle for Integration,’ by Stephanie Fitzgerald.

"Then it was my EPQ co-ordinator who persuaded me to give the submission a try, pointing me to various sources for my research.

“I also had the support and constructive criticism of my friends on the craft of my spoken word.

“I am very pleased I had the opportunity to take part. It was very exciting as I didn’t expect to be a runner-up.

“Taking part has allowed me to understand that it is a good idea to get out of your comfort zone once in a while and pursue your passions.”

As a runner-up, Pearson stated Saratu demonstrated that ‘she is taking her learning to the next level to make a positive and tangible impact on the world'.

The judges added: “Despite the challenges of 2020, we have been moved by the resilience, positivity and dedication to make a difference beyond the classroom.

“This has shone through in the applications we have received from across the UK.

"Saratu is passionate about racial equality and has been using the power of performance and spoken word to share her views and experiences in her school and beyond.

“She has spent over a year personally researching the Black Lives Matter movement and injustices across America and Britain.

"She is committed to studying this further and driving change through activism and campaigning when she goes to university next year.”

Judges were a combination of ambassadors and partners from a range of backgrounds, including teachers, business owners, entrepreneurs, authors, campaigners and explorers.

World Changer Awards ambassador Ann Daniels – Polar explorer and the first woman in history to reach the North and South Poles as part of all-women teams, added: “As the winners and runners-up show, children and young people are so amazing and able to affect real change. They are the future.”