SHS in the News

Sheffield High's Shalina is named Young Enterprise 'Top Achiever'

Shalina receives her award from Young Enterprise CEO Catherine Marchant

Shalina Popat from Sheffield High School was named as a Yorkshire and Humberside ‘Top Achiever’ recently for her performance in the Young Enterprise OCR Level 2 examination last summer.

Sheffield High’s Young Enterprise students were proud to be a part of a fund-raising event recently at Sheffield City Hall, hoping to raise finance for Young Enterprise which, like many charities, is feeling the pressure in these challenging economic times. The prestigious guest list included many of the top business leaders from the region and also Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP. Young Enterprise students from Sheffield High School and two other local schools organised and managed the event on behalf of the charity. The High School students were responsible for arranging the reception of the VIPs and escorting them to their seats. The students and their Young Enterprise link teacher, Chris Spick, featured in a promotional video for the scheme which was very well received by the VIPs present.

A highlight of the evening came when Young Enterprise CEO Catherine Marchant presented Shalina Popat from Sheffield High School with the award for achieving the highest mark in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in the Young Enterprise Level 2 examination last summer.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was guest of honour at the event and told the conference: “Britain is being held back by schools with a barely concealed distaste for business.

We have to ‘shake ourselves free’ of the ‘snobby’ attitude that some parts of the education system showed to enterprise, if this country is to return to prosperity”, he said.

He told the glittering event at Sheffield Town Hall that the work the charity does in counteracting this prejudice was ‘absolutely essential’ to restoring the UK’s economic health.

He urged businesses hesitating about whether to get involved with Young Enterprise to do so, saying: “I really can’t think of many other causes that are more worthwhile.”

Sheffield High School has long been a supporter of Young Enterprise, achieving many successes over recent years including the Best Company in South Yorkshire award in three consecutive years – 2009, 2010 and 2011!

Nick Clegg meets Young Enterprise including Sheffield High's Shalina Popat (right)

Sheffield High School was awarded Centre of Excellence status by Young Enterprise at the regional finals in York last year. This was in recognition of the School’s “outstanding commitment to the promotion of enterprise and entrepreneurship education for its young people and for its engagement in a wide variety of activities”. Centres of Excellence are schools which have worked very hard at providing enterprise experiences to their young people across year groups and have developed an active partnership with Young Enterprise over a consistent number of years. Ongoing recognition comes in the form of an annually produced special logo which the School can use on internal and external communications.

The School is looking forward to more Young Enterprise success in the future!