Students from St Mark’s Church of England Academy in Mitcham captivated guests with their oratory and music skills at a special fundraising event held at the English-Speaking Union in the capital.
The St Mark’s students were taking part in a special evening of fundraising organised by the school’s trust, Anthem Schools Trust, for its personal development strategy, Anthem Aspire.
Three Year 8 students from St Mark’s – Amari Ofori, Kemosiri Bowes-Smith and Zion Pink Da’Silva – took part in a question-and-answer session about how the Anthem Aspire programme has given them opportunities they would not have otherwise had.
Talented musicians from the school also impressed. Young pianist, Eyram Addae in Year 13, provided live background music for the event and performed his own song while accompanying himself on the piano.
Nicola Borowiak, a visually impaired who learned the piano by ear in two terms, played Fur Elise, while vocalist Darcie Jones sang a challenging song by Adele.
The aim of Anthem Aspire is to offer transformative opportunities for children to engage in sport, literature, music, and the great outdoors through four flagship projects, delivered in partnership with leading national organisations.
At the fundraising evening at the English-Speaking Union in Mayfair, guests also had singing performances from the choir of one of the trust’s primary schools – Gladstone Park Primary in Brent – with pupils raising the roof with This is Me from The Greatest Showman, The Circle of Life from Lion King, Tomorrow from Annie and Viva la Vida from Coldplay.
There were also talks from members of the Trust and external partners, such as the outdoor pursuits provider Outward Bound and the young persons’ creative writing charity First Story.
Aimee Gallagher, Headteacher at St Mark’s CofE Academy, said: “I am incredibly proud of all the St Mark’s students who gave up their time to take part in this important event.
“Our Year 8 students spoke with incredible confidence and maturity and it was a great pleasure to see one of our talented young musicians performing on the piano throughout the evening, helping to create such a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
“All of these young people were fantastic ambassadors for our school and demonstrated the confidence, character and talent that we strive to nurture in all our students.”
Elma Lawson, Executive Director of Education at Anthem Schools Trust, said: “We are incredibly proud of the St Mark’s students who took part in this event. We are grateful to everyone who supported this special evening, which will help to create more opportunities for the young people in our schools.”
David Hatchett, Chief Executive of Anthem Schools Trust, said: “The stars of this event were undoubtedly the students and their confidence in performing and in talking in front of an audience. These are precisely the kinds of opportunities that Anthem Aspire makes possible and we look forward to helping even more young people discover their passions and develop their talents.”
