Delight as Kirkcaldy school scoops top award

Winning team: Josh Lawson, Cameron Bowie, Dr Paul Murray, Blair Aitken, John Hamilton. front ltr Morgan Cameron, Alannah Ferguson, Blake McBride.

KHS LGBT+ is a student-led group established in 2015 to tackle homophobia, prejudice and bullying in the school.

And the enthusiastic pupils have had significant successes through training, campaigning and supporting initiatives not just in their school, but across the country – including working with other schools, health boards, Stonewall Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Group members, accompanied by Derek Allan, rector, and Paul Murray, chemistry teacher and group coordinator, were there in person to collect the President’s COSLA Award at a ceremony in the Fairmont Hotel, St Andrews last week.

Kirkcaldy school in final of national awards

The award is given for exceptional achievement beyond the scope of the award categories, and represented the finale of the 15 awards presented to projects from across Scotland, on the evening.

The COSLA Excellence Awards celebrate initiatives which are making a meaningful difference to people’s quality of life in communities.

Mr Allan said: “We are incredibly proud of KHS LGBT+, which plays such a big part in creating a happy, inclusive atmosphere in our school.

“It is a great honour for COSLA to recognise the initiative and the powerful impact it has had across and beyond Fife.

“Many people find happiness and succeed in life despite what happened in school. We’re trying to achieve those things because of what happened in school.”

Cameron Bowie, the group spokesman, said: “Three of us went to give a presentation to COSLA at its Haymarket headquarters in September when we got through to the final stage.

“We didn’t know what to expect on the night of the presentation and we were a bit disappointed when we weren’t chosen in our category.

“We hadn’t realised that was because we had been chosen for the president’s award. It was a great feeling walking up to collect the trophy from Jackie Bird. We are all so proud.”

Alannah Ferguson, chairman, added: “This is going to open more doors for us and many of the councils which were there have asked us to go and speak to them.”