A STUDENT from a North Yorkshire college has landed a place in a national final for her commitment to raising awareness on issues such as disability and mental health.

Kizzy Wade, a student at Selby College, has been named a finalist in the Association of Colleges’ Student of the Year awards.

The annual awards celebrate students who stand out from the crowd and have gone above and beyond, whether in college or their local community.

Kizzy, who lives with with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and OCD, is a finalist in the Young Student of the Year category of the national awards. She was nominated for her commitment to raising awareness on issues and challenges people face in society, through her writing.

Lorraine Fisher, counsellor and wellbeing coordinator at Selby College, said: "I’m extremely proud of Kizzy for her commitment, passion and determination to help others and for all her achievements."

As a keen poet, Kizzy hosted her own solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and has taken part in a number of poetry books to raise money for charity initiatives such as Guide Dogs and the House of Bread (HOB), an organisation which supports vulnerable and homeless people.

In addition, Kizzy won a TrinityTalent Bronze Arts Award in 2020 for her achievements with spoken word - which celebrates talented young people achieving Trinity’s music, drama and Arts Award qualifications in the UK. 

The finalists were announced at the Association of Colleges’ Annual Conference in Birmingham. The winners and runners-up will be announced at a parliamentary reception in January.