Pupils celebrate their success at Glengormley High awards night

School staff celebrated with students and their families at the annual Glengormley High School Celebration of Achievement held on Thursday, October 24.
Speaker Rev Lockhart with local dignatories.Speaker Rev Lockhart with local dignatories.
Speaker Rev Lockhart with local dignatories.

Staff, students and families were joined by staff from the Ulster University, Education Authority leaders, a number of local councillors alongside South Antrim Alliance MLA, John Blair to enjoy an evening of celebration and reflection on a very positive year for the Ballyclare Road school.

Principal Ricky Massey provided a comparison of the school as it was two years ago, against how it functions today.

He reminded the pupils that they belonged to a school which boasts an outstanding curriculum and is now providing highly impressive GCSE results.

Leah Castles, Mrs Hodge and Ella Castles.Leah Castles, Mrs Hodge and Ella Castles.
Leah Castles, Mrs Hodge and Ella Castles.

He drew his comparison to a close as he noted that on the outside, the school still looked the same, but on the inside, is entirely different.

Guest speaker for the evening was the Rev Niall Lockhart, minister of Ballyhenry Presbyterian Church, who spoke about the strong links between both the school and his church and challenged the pupils with the words of Bear Grylls “Life is an adventure that is best lived boldly.”

The evening was completed with the inaugural speeches of the school’s two new Head Prefects, Freya Lewis and Alice Stewart.

Both girls provided passionate reflections on their experience of Glengormley High School, with Freya congratulating the students on their awards and highlighting: “I hope you feel the same pride I felt over six years ago, when I opened my envelope from the AQE test and found my score to be high enough to grant me access to any school in the country, and I chose Glengormley High School.

A number of awards were presented.A number of awards were presented.
A number of awards were presented.

“Tonight we celebrate our success, to prove our worth, to glow with pride and to silence those who have said it couldn’t be done.”

Alice Stewart read the Edgar Albert Guest poem ‘It couldn’t be done’ and in finishing, informed those gathered: “I am that person who has to work for everything I have achieved; I am that person where it doesn’t just come naturally and I am that person that proves - it can be done.”

For more information about the Ballyclare Road school, check out the Glengormley High School website or social media pages.