Children are the stars at this years Day of Achievement20/02/2012
Children and young people living in foster care across the North East have been honoured by the adults who care for them at this year's Team Fostering Day of Achievement.
More than 120 youngsters and carers gathered at The Sage Gateshead on Friday February 17th for the 5th annual Day of Achievement to celebrate their successes over the past year.
The children, all aged under 18, were nominated by their foster parents in five categories: Educational Attainment, Artistic, Sporting and Personal Achievement for successes including ‘overcoming a fear of the dark,’ ‘learning to ride a bike’ and ‘overcoming the greatest of personal obstacles with grace and courage.’ The fifth category was the Alec Turnbull award, established in memory of a foster carer whose wife, daughter and son are also carers with Team Fostering. There were two recipients of this award, honoured separately for ‘achieving 100 per cent attendance at school and gaining 13.5 GCSEs’ and ‘for resilience, determination and showing enthusiasm in all she does.’
The day began with musical workshops when children and young people joined forces with their carers and the team from Team Fostering to share their work before settling down for the awards ceremony itself during which each child received a medal and certificate.
Assistant Director Vicky Davidson Boyd said: “Some of these young people have had to overcome huge challenges and obstacles due to their circumstances and it is only right that their achievements be acknowledged.
“We all need encouragement and recognition to help us feel self confident, and this is especially so for young people who have had difficult life experiences, and have overcome great challenges to achieve progress. Their achievements are all the more noteworthy, because of the obstacles many have faced.”
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