Staff and students from Newton Abbot College travelled to the Riviera International Centre in Torquay on 19 June to take part in the College’s Creative Arts Awards Evening.

A long-standing highlight in the College calendar, the 2018 awards reached a scale that prompted the move to the Centre, to accommodate the increasing number of talented students receiving awards for their endeavours over the year.

The evening, hosted by the Creative Arts Department staff, included a wide variety of performances; highlights included the Key Stage 4 lyrical dance performance to “Crash Land” by Twin Atlantic, the Musical Theatre Group’s rendition of “For Forever” from the musical ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ and a video celebration of the artwork created by the A Level students throughout the academic year.

Following the performances, each department presented their own, tailor-made categories for their subjects, including ‘Most Creative Sketchbook’ in Art and ‘Best Devised Performance’ in Performing Arts. Students from each academic year were recognised for their efforts and achievements.

Attending the ceremony were Roger and Annie Kirk, founders of The Helen Foundation, a charity that supports the creative arts in the Teignbridge area. Their award, given to a single student who has shown outstanding aptitude and dedication to the creative arts, was presented to Year 11 student, Eleanor Skinner; a talented and dedicated dancer and actress, who is regularly seen on the College stage. Year 13 students, Lois Harris and Jake Herrera, were awarded the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award for their tireless work within the department.

Teacher of Performing Arts and Dance, Sarah Wilkinson, said of the event: “The Creative Arts Awards is a culmination of a year of extremely hard work by our incredible students. The growth of this evening only serves to demonstrate how important the creative arts are in our education system and how they should continue as part of our young people’s College lives. Each and every one of our performers and award winners should be incredibly proud of themselves, as we are of them.”