A STUDENT from a North Yorkshire college has overcome her disability to complete a summer placement with a "world-leading" youth arts organisation.

Kizzy Wade, a vocational student at Selby College, was provided with a platform to further explore and expand her passion for poetry with National Youth Theatre (NYT) the summer programme.

Following a successful interview process where she had to recall poetry characters and recite monologue, Kizzy, who lives with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and OCD, was awarded one of 270 places on the course.

At 16-years-old, Kizzy is a keen poet and spoken word activist who focuses her writing on issues such as disability, mental health and challenges people face in society.

Kizzy said: "I actually found my love for poetry by accident, which is quite ironic as it is my biggest passion now. I joined a poetry session on Zoom by mistake this time last year and since then, I’ve never looked back.

"I really enjoy being able to address current issues that my generation is facing, as well as my own thoughts and experiences, to create words which will resonate with people or make them think."

During her summer break, Kizzy also carried out her own solo poetry reading at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival over Zoom.

Speaking on her summer placement, Kizzy said: “Attending the NYT summer camp provided platform to explore this further and gave me the confidence boost I needed to host my own poetry reading at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later on in the summer holidays, which was a big step for me.”

Lorraine Fisher, wellbeing coordinator at Selby College, said: "Kizzy lives with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and OCD, which she admits has often made accessing the arts more difficult. However, she has not let this stop her breaking through her physical limitations to create art.

"When Kizzy puts her mind to something, she well and truly shines."

In 2020, Kizzy was nominated for a TrinityTalent Award for her achievements with spoken word, as part of her Bronze Arts Award. She also completed her Arts Award with Collective Encounters, where she focused on writing poetry and delivering poetry workshops.

She also recently held her own poetry ‘Kizzy Talks’ in aid of A Smile for a Child, which provides funds for disabled children to purchase sports equipment or whatever a child needs to participate in their sport.

As part of her media course at Selby College, Kizzy created a poetry website which focuses on political propaganda and art. The website is now also being used as a learning hub for youths who are interested in learning poetry techniques.

Beyond poetry, Kizzy spends her time playing Powerchair Football and is currently taking part in the Football Association’s Rising Stars regional talent pathway. She is now a part of the England Under 16’s Squad and plays for her local team, Leeds Powerchair FC.

To read more about Kizzy’s poetry, click here.