Kirkcaldy High School award winners 2021/22

It offered the school community the change to reflect on recent challenges faced and success won and to recognise achievement.

Guest speaker at last week’s event was Carrie Lindsay, Fife Council’s education boss and she was joined in the audience by other guests including Provost Jim Leishman and Fife Council leader David Ross.

In his speech, rector Derek Allan stressed that the event was about the young people.

He said: “The pandemic has been such a challenge, the fear and the loneliness, the disruption to learning and the disruption to life and to growing up.

"Our school has had to operate in completely new ways.

"And yet, despite all this our pupils survived – sometimes even thrived.

"In many ways, it’s the young ones who have led the way, showing us new ways to communicate and learn, new ways to live, and they have shown remarkable resilience.”

Since the last prizegiving in June 2019, KHS has been recognised as a Gold Standard UNICEF Rights Respecting School and now holds the LGBT Youth Scotland Gold Charter.

A touching tribute was paid to S6 pupil Paige Dougall, described by Mr Allan as “one of our very brightest of stars” who passed away in January, having been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in 2019.

Mr Allan said: “Paige faced her diagnosis with incredible bravery and strength.

"She was, and is, an inspiration to us all.

"Paige was much loved by all, and everything felt that wee bit brighter and better when she was in the room.”

Paige had a passion for music and drama and in the last two years she took her songwriting to new heights recording with Ella Henderson and Callum Beattie.

Her single ‘I’m Going Through Hell’ made the UK charts and before she died, Paige made plans to establish a charity to provide music therapy and instruments for young people undergoing cancer treatment.

Callum Beattie performed during the event as a tribute to Paige, whose family were in the audience, before the presentation of the inaugural Paige Dougall Award for Musical Theatre.

The prizegiving was Mr Allan’s last as rector before he retires at the summer break after a 40 year career in education.

He told those gathered: “What an honour it has been just to be part of this school.

"I think I’ve always trusted young people to naturally want to do their very best and be a big part of their school.

"Learning is a team game.

"The best teachers can show you where to look, but they won’t ever tell you what to see.

"I’ve also trusted these guys on stage with me this evening – the depute heads.

“And that’s been easy because I know that they are second to none.

"We are Team KHS. This is the A team.

"I know I’ll miss them, but the school is in good hands.”

Pupils and staff paid tribute to their retiring rector during the evening, including showing a video containing some special messages.

Among them were former Prime Minister Gordon Brown who said: “Everyone remembers their teachers and the influence they had.

"We all owe a debt of gratitude to Derek for changing lives for the better for pupils and their families.”

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister said: “It has been a huge privilege to see the outstanding work you have done at KHS.

"Your first class work has ensured the pupils’ voices have been heard in school and the wider community.

"You have so much to be proud of and the service you have given to so many young people, and so many are the better for having the experience of your leadership.”

In his final message to the Class of 2022, before they asked him to join them in leading the guests out of the hall to the sounds of Stevie Wonder, Mr Allan said: “Thank you for taking flying lessons at KHS, now you have your wings.

"Please, please let me continue to be proud of you in my old age.

"Go do your thing, do it well.

"Be yersel and mak worth the being.”

Prize winners

Effective contributors: Paige Dougall Memorial Prize for Musical Theatre – Cian Lister; ‘Lest We Forget’ Remembrance Award – Charlie Murdoch; UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Gold Award – Eilidh Drummond, Rebecca Greig; Scottish Youth Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Award – Ramiza Ahmad; Audrey Diamond Award for Perseverance – Shannen-Leigh Donnelly; FoKHS Derick Herning Linguistic Prize – Nancy Ayanouvi; The Rotary Young Leadership Award - Rhys Aitchison, Morgan Cameron, Lilly Koczoova, Peter McCombie; Contribution to the Class of 2022 – Gemma Carpenter; Adam Smith House Award – Ross Dalgleish, Hayley Smith; Carlyle House Award – Reece Nicholson, Lauren Pitcaithly; Oswald House Award – Callum Campbell, Fariha Noreen; House Trophies: Academic – Carlyle, Sport – Oswald; Gregor Smith Memorial Prize for Sports Leadership 2022 – Lauren Pitcaithly; Abbotsford Care Award for Services to Mental Health – Callum Campbell, Gemma Carpenter, Emily Dowling, Emillie Ramsay, Charlie Ramsay, Brooke Wishart; Soroptimist International Educate to Lead Award – Jessica McGregor; Young STEM leader SCQF Level 6 – Daanish Mahmood; The Connect-Ability STEM Award winner – Olivia Greig, runner up – Teddy Duckett, highly commended – Noel Lamont; Gordon Aikman Cup for Charity Work – Logan Morrison; Young Volunteer of the Year – Kian Duffy, Daniel Gray. Confident Individuals: Jane MacGregor Prize for Contribution to School Ethos – Liam Ness; The Flt. Lt. Mike Withey Bravery Award – Hayley Smith; entrepreneur.me Positive Attitude Award – Ross Barrett; Our Girls Can Leaders – Jessica McGregor, Lauren Pitcaithly, Isla Wheatley; Bronze Level Industrial Cadet Award – Caitlin Couldridge, Rebecca Gilchrist, Emily McCombie, Ellie McCormick, Lilianna Orzel. Responsible Citizens: Rector’s Award for Exceptional Service – Charlie Murdoch, Lewis Edgerton; Dave Garland Memorial Trophy Winners (Netball) – Roxy Anderson, Madison Fraser, Holly Lawson, Zoe Logie, Emma Massey, Lexi McMillan, Evie Robertson, Lucy Whitehill; Scottish Schools Sevens Winners (Football) – Erin Husband, Jessica Husband, Caitlin Jarvie, Emma Massey, Ellie McCormick, Lexi McMillan, Ella Stevenson, Amelie Mitchell, Emma Whitehill, Lucy Whitehill; Fife Schools U15 Cup Winners (Football) – Blair Bowie, Cameron Chrystal, Brandyn Coventry, Lewis Davidson, Peter Duncan, Deacon Eskar, Jamie Findlay, Cohen Lessels, Roshan Naeem, Steven Pate, Ryan Sharp, Craig Sinclair, Jay Snoddy, Joe Somerville, Calum Stewart, Campbell Szmitz; Fife Schools U18 Cup Winners (Football) – Fallon Burke, Codie Carr, Erin Husband, Jessica Husband, Morgan Murray, Katie Robertson, Aimee Roy, Ella Stevenson; Footballer of the Year in memory of Ethan King and Connor Aird – Ross Szmitz; Shannon Napier Memorial Award for Creative Cakes – Emilija Zeimyte. Successful Learners: The James McEwan Award for Outstanding Achievement in History – Ellie Ness; Social Subjects Award for Passion and Commitment to the Subject – Charlotte Champion; Dr McKillop Prize for Achievement in Classics – Elise Gamble, Mathematician of the Year The Bod’s Trophy – Logan Piotrowicz; The Robertson Memorial Award for Physics – Logan Piotrowicz; The Ken Stewart Award for Excelling in Sciences – Daanish Mahmood; Waterstones Award for English Essays – Hanna Cassidy; The Jonathan Clark/Dunne Memorial Prize for Technology – Melissa Wood; Bosch Rexroth Award for the Engineer of the Year/Arkwright Scholar 2021 – Logan Piotrowicz; Anne Middleton Memorial Award for Business Education – Emillie Ramsay; The Hopper Award for Female Excellence in Computing – Crystal Atsegoh; The Galloway Award for Drive and Enthusiasm in Music – Rocco O’Kane; Byron Hairdressing Award for Exceptional Creativity – Gemma Carpenter; Scotland’s Rural College Award for Environment Coursework – Darci Paterson; Career Ready Student of the Year – Rachel Crouthers; Val McDermid Bursary – Raegan Lithgow. S5/6 Higher Awards: Politics – Nancy Ayanouvi; Human Biology – Hanna Cassidy; Classical Studies – Hanna Cassidy; Environmental Science – Sophie Galloway; Fashion & Textiles – Sophie Galloway; Geography – Ritchie Gillies; History – Rebecca Greig; Drama - Caitlin Halliday; Modern Studies – Gemma Hepburn; Spanish – Kaydee Hunter; Mathematics – Callum Husband; Bill Ritchie Award Physics – Callum Husband; PE – Callum Husband; Engineering Science – Callum Husband; English – Callum Husband; French – Jasmin Jaber; Business Management – Jasmin Jaber; Colin Moyes Award Graphic Communication – Amy Krzyzanowska; Latin – Hassan Mahmood; Psychology – Hannah Melville; Applications of Mathematics – Hannah Melville; Design & Manufacture – Lyle Munro; Chemistry – Matthew Penman; Admin & IT – Emillie Ramsay; Binnie Prize Music – Owen Tuckwell; Photography – Amanda Wright. S6 Advanced Higher: Computing Science – Callum Campbell; Art – Gemma Carpenter; Biology – Ema-Nur Gulturk; Chemistry – Daanish Mahmood; Modern Studies – Charlie Murdoch; History – Charlie Murdoch; Binnie Prize Music – Rocco O’Kane; Bill Ritchie Award Physics – Matthew Penman; Mathematics – Matthew Penman; Engineering Science – Logan Piotrowicz; English – Jack Watson. Dux of School: Charlie Murdoch, Matthew Penman, Logan Piotrowicz.