KERRY College of Further Education (KCFE) hosted their second annual awards ceremony on Wednesday night in the Clash Campus.
With 250 attendees at the event, over 50 Academic and Achievement Awards were presented to student by over 50 industry sponsors.
The audience heard the success stories of students and they impact the year studying at KCFE had on them and their lives.
Continued below…
All the students who completed courses had secured employment or were progressing to third level education, irrespective whether they began their PLC course as leaving certificate students or as mature students.
Rose O’Dowd, a mature student who returned to education after many years spent caring for her recently deceased husband, received a standing ovation during the ceremony when she was presented with the Mature Student of the Year Award sponsored by Horan’s Health Care.
Elias Kuma, who studied Music Performance, received the Rising Star Award sponsored by the INEC – Gleneagle Group for his amazing musical abilities and he entertained the crowed by playing a piece of classical music on guitar.
Ciara Murphy, niece of Kerry legend Colm Cooper, received the Female Sports Star of the Year, she played on the KCFE Ladies Football Team and currently plays for the Kerry Senior Ladies Team.
Having completed her PLC programme in Business Studies, she has now secured a scholarship to continue her education at Third Level.
Laura Papierowska told how she was devastated last year when she barely missed out on a place in Shannon School of Management not realising a PLC programme was available in Hotel and Catering in KCFE and this offered her another route to gain entry.
She has this year, through results achieved on her KCFE course and her performance at an interview now secured her place in Shannon School of Management starting in September. One more positive story after the other was recounted over the evening. Below is a list of award winners with photos….
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
COMMUNITY SPIRIT Award sponsored by Cara Credit Union — Early Childcare Level 5 Class Group
MATURE STUDENT OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Horan’s Health Care — Rose O’Dowd [SPECIAL NEEDS ASSISTANTS]
INSPIRING STUDENT AWARD Award sponsored by Benner’s Hotel — Helena O’Sulivan [SPORT, RECREATION AND EXERCISE]
RISING STAR OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by INEC Glen Eagle Group — Elias Kuma [MUSIC PERFORMANCE]
FEMALE SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Hennebry’s Sports — Ciara Murphy [BUSINESS STUDIES]
MALE SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Kerry County Board — Jordan Lee [SPORTS, RECREATION AND EXERCISE]
CREATIVE STUDENT OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Madden’s Tralee — Seán Murray [ANIMATION]
ENTERPISING STUDENT OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Mary O’Donnell Beauty — Roland Sauter [BUSINESS MANAGEMENT]
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by St Vincent De Paul — Dylan Broderick [MUSIC TECHNOLOGY]
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by St Vincent De Paul — Troy Baitson [NURSING STUDIES]
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by St Vincent De Paul — Michael McNabb [NURSING STUDIES]
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Kerry Airport — Idah Matigimu [NURSING STUDIES WITH MATERNITY CARE]
STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Award sponsored by Kerry Airport — Clodagh Quirke [OFFICE ADMINSTRATION AND COMPUTER APPLICATIONS]
STUDENT RESILIENCE AWARD Award sponsored by Kerry Airport — Arno Coetzer [FURNITURE DESIGN & MAKING]
STUDENT AMBASSADOR Award sponsored by Kerry Airport — Kasey O’Connor [APPLIED SOCIAL STUDIES]
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD sponsored by Nutrifit for Women — Awa Thioune [APPLIED SOCIAL STUDIES]
ACADEMIC AWARDS
ADVANCED CHILDCARE LEVEL 6 Award sponsored by Oakview Village Childcare — Susan Daly
ANIMATION Award sponsored by Animation Dingle — Magdalena Stawowy
MULTIMEDIA WITH GRAPHIC DESIGN Award sponsored by Midpoint Creative — Dominique Ammann Barry
APPLIED SCIENCE Award sponsored by Lab Works — Joanne Hannifin
APPLIED SOCIAL STUDIES WITH PSYCHOLOGY Award sponsored by O’Halloran Counselling Services — Awa Thioune
BEAUTY THERAPY Award sponsored by Exposé — Sarah Delaney
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, CARPENTRY & JOINERY Award sponsored byJohn Flynn Builders — Micheál O’Donoghue
ADVANCED FURNITURE DESIGN Award sponsored by Office and Inc — Ian Apsey
OFFICE MANAGEMENT Award sponsored by Jim Finucane Auctioneers — Eugene Guiney
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Award sponsored by Permanent TSB — Gitas Marcisaunskas
BUSINESS STUDIES Award sponsored by Kelly O’Shea — Gearoid Looney
TOURISM WITH BUSINESS Award sponsored by 24/7 Cabs — Jack Bambury
CARERS (HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT) Award sponsored by Baile Mhuire — Ausra Baskiene
CHILDCARE EDUCATION Award sponsored by Shine’s Pharmacy — Gerard Brosnan
COMPUTER GAMES DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Award sponsored by Dairymaster — Colin McDaid
SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT Award sponsored by Dairymaster — Seán Hall
ART, CRAFT & DESIGN Award sponsored by John Hurley — Vivien Ahern
MUSIC Award sponsored by Hugh Culloty’s — Shauna O’Rourke
DANCE AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES Award sponsored by Siamsa Tíre — Andrea O’Callaghan
THEATRE STUDIES Award sponsored by Imperial Hotel — Francis Meehan
EMERGENCY CARE SERVICES Award sponsored by CH Chemists — Samantha Martin
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY Award sponsored by Kostal Engineering — Bardhyl Mustafa
HOTEL AND CATERING Award sponsored by Top Table — Laura Papierowska
PROFESSIONAL COOKERY Award sponsored by Croí — Kate Burke O’Leary
JOURNALISM FOR THE DIGITAL AGE Award sponsored by Kerry’s Eye — Jack Joy
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION & COMPUTER APPLICATIONS Award sponsored by Sigmar Recruiting — Hannah Skelhorn
NURSING STUDIES Award sponsored by Bon Secours Hospital — Aislinn O’Donnell
PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSISTANT STUDIES Award sponsored by Corinne Evans Physiotherapy — Jade Lange
ADVANCED PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSISTANT STUDIES Award sponsored by Corinne Evans Physiotherapy — Shane McElligott
PRE-GARDA STUDIES Award sponsored by Tralee Garda Station — Jennifer Geoghan
PRE-TEACHING AND EDUCATION STUDIES Award sponsored by Pitman Training — Sarah Tansley
PRE-UNIVERSITY LAW Award sponsored by Pat Man Solicitors — Shaquib Mahmood
SPORT, RECREATION AND EXERCISE Award sponsored by Aquadome — Erica McGlynn
VETERINARY ASSISTING STUDIES Award sponsored by McGrath’s Vets— Claire Griffin
YOUTH WORK Award sponsored by Live Live Foundation — Patrick Griffin
