Star students hailed for their achievements

TOP STUDENTS (from the left) Jack McKie, Anna Lord and Lydia Harvey with Derek Cottrell (Rotary Club of Crompton and Royton President).

THREE Crompton House School pupils have been recognised for their leadership, community and charity work.

Fundraiser Lydia Harvey, footballer Jack McKie and waterpolo player Anna Lord received student of the year awards from the Rotary Club of Crompton and Royton.

The annual awards celebrate the wider achievements of sixth-formers at the Rochdale Road secondary rather than focussing on academic success.

Talented swimmer Anna introduced waterpolo at the school, setting up girls teams with the help of ex-GB player and local coach Peter Darlington.

And they have bagged an impressive haul of honours in just three seasons which include the under 16s winning the national schools championships 2014, and the under 18s repeating the feat for the last two years.

Anna (18) is currently training with the under 19s Great Britain Squad and hopes to be chosen to play at the European Under 19 Championships in Holland in September.

She recently swam 21 miles - the distance of the channel - non-stop in 10.5 hours at Royton Sports Centre to raise around £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

"The furtherest I had ever swam before was ten miles," said Anna: "People say you hit a wall, but I don't think I did. I was fine and I had a lot of support from family and friends who were watching."

She said that she was shocked to receive the Rotary award but added: "It is a real privilege."

Head boy Jack (18) has played football for the school since Year 8 and is a goalkeeper for Uppermill FC.

He also runs lunchtime goalkeeping training sessions for younger players at the school and explained: "At first I did it for a leadership qualification but I carried it on because I realised how helpful they found it. In any training sessions, the goalkeepers never seem to get much focus so I thought it was important for them. They have really improved a lot - but I'm not taking all the credit for that!

"It came as a big surprise to win the Rotary award because I didn't know it existed but it's an amazing honour."

Both Anna and Jack will also take part in a school trip to Nepal from July 12 to 29 to help communities devastated by last year's earthquake.

Lydia is part of the school's charity prefect team which has raised hundreds of pounds for charities. Its fundraisers have ranged from gunging a teacher in baked beans to staff versus pupils sports competition.

Lydia has also volunteered at Kampala Children's Centre in Uganda - arranging for its choir to give a recent concert at Crompton House - and did a midwifery placement in Tanzania.

She added: "I feel very honoured to have won the Rotary award as I feel that there are many others that are deserving of the award.

"I definitely can't take all of the credit myself as I couldn't have done all the work that I did without the help of my friends."

Read more about Lydia's visit to Kampala Children's Centre in the next edition of the Knowledge education supplement, in the Oldham Chronicle next Wednesday.