Seaford News
Sally sets Gold Standard for Seaford
Monday 28th September 2009
Sally Gunnell OBE was guest at the school's annual Speech Day, where she urged pupils to 'aim high and go for gold.'
Olympic Gold medallist Sally Gunnell OBE presented prizes to students at Seaford College, urging them to “aim high, believe in yourself and go for gold.”
Addressing students, parents at staff at the annual Speech and Prize Giving, Sally, one of the most popular sportswomen of our times, said: “Decide what you want out of life and go for it. The brain is a massive tool and 70% of success lies in your mind.”
Sally, who is the only woman to hold four titles concurrently – Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth – held the World Record for the 400-metre hurdles after winning a gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
She presented more than 100 academic prizes, as well as 22 Special Awards covering everything from all round outstanding achievement to perseverance, technical achievement and historical study, including The Jarvis Cup for Endeavour to Lara Sturgis, who had undergone a major spinal operation just two weeks earlier.
Among the 20+ special awards were the Proops Cup for Outstanding Achievement, which went in absentia to Pia Grambusch, the Ronald Powell Cup for an Outstanding Sportsperson to Dan Macer, the Kayleigh Gregory Ad Alta Prize for Perseverance to Ben Robertson and Gabriella Palombo and the Headmaster’s Cup for Outstanding Contribution in a wide range of College activities, which went to Oliver Mullins.
Pia was back in her homeland of Germany playing for the U21 team against the Senior Italian team. She is already in possession of a Gold medal from the European U21 Cup and Mr Mullins said he confidently expected her to be the first Old Seafordian to compete in the Olympics, in London in 2012.
Headmaster Toby Mullins told parents and pupils in a packed Sports Hall that it was the job of schools like Seaford to provide opportunities for children to be successful.
He said: “However small those successes, in whatever field they occur, the more the students’ confidence grows and the more they flourish.”
He said Seaford excelled at raising pupils’ academic expectations, enabling them to achieve in a wide range of subjects, including music, art and sport.
Mr Mullins praised his teaching staff and told parents: “Your children have the good fortune to be taught by some of the best teachers around. The recent Independent Schools Inspectorate graded one in three of the lessons watched as outstanding which, in my experience, is an exceptionally high proportion.”
The College had enjoyed an outstanding year of sporting success - in netball, hockey, rugby, cricket, athletics and rounders, said Mr Mullins – and some of this is highlighted elsewhere in ‘Park Life.’
Retiring Head Girl Rebecca Carey said: “Seaford has given us so much more than just GCSEs and A-levels. It has done a wonderful job in preparing us for the future.”
Her comments were echoed by retiring Head Boy Ben Curnow who said he had been virtually written off by his Primary School but was now awaiting A-level results which would secure him a place at university to study veterinary medicine.
The evening commenced with a Promenade Concert, presented by the College Orchestra and a selection of the school’s talented soloists, in the Courtyard of the College Music School.
This included an appropriate rendition of the theme from ‘Chariots of Fire’ played by the College Orchestra, powerful solos from Jenevra Glavin, Emily Jones and William Ferris, Pachelbel’s Canon played by the String Trio (plus one!), right up to date with Coldplay’s Viva la Vida, courtesy of Tom Odell on piano and vocals.
