A Bridgwater College tutor has been nominated for a Sky Arts Hero Award by a former student who credits her with helping him pursue his passion for writing.
Katherine Skern, an English Literature and Creative Writing tutor, was nominated by former student Hadley, who says her encouragement helped him grow in confidence and take his writing beyond the classroom.
While at college, Hadley won a competition at the Burnham Book Festival and a Somerset Anne Frank Award for his poetry. With Katherine’s support, he was also published before leaving college. He is now studying English and Creative Writing at the University of Gloucestershire, has since been published again and is preparing to read his work at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in October.
In his nomination, Hadley described Katherine as an “incredibly humble, talented and kind person” who brought out the best in him. Hadley said,
Katherine was the first person to really encourage me to put my poetry up for competitions, helping me get published in an anthology. Without Kat, I probably wouldn’t be studying literature and creative writing at university. I am hugely grateful and lucky to have had someone like Kat to inspire and guide me.
Hadley
Former Bridgwater College student
Katherine and Hadley were invited to London to attend the Sky Arts Hero Awards ceremony, joining others who were also recognised for making a difference through the arts.
It was such an honour to be nominated for the Sky Arts Hero Award and to hear I had been shortlisted was just unbelievable. The Sky Arts Awards celebrates creativity across all art forms and the talent of the nominees and performers at the event was phenomenal.
I love working at Bridgwater College and really appreciate the exciting opportunities available to me and our students. I run a creative writing programme to nurture budding young writers, to help them develop their skills, to give them time and space to explore their own creativity, and to support and encourage those who want to become published writers. The arts are really valued here and I am proud of this achievement, proud of Hadley’s achievements, and proud to be a part of this organisation.
Katherine Stern
Course Leader and Teaching & Learning Coach
The nomination is a lovely reminder of the impact a tutor can have long after a student leaves college. Katherine’s support helped Hadley take his writing seriously and gave him the confidence to see where it could lead. It also reflects the importance of inspiring students, a key part of UCS College Group’s Strategy 2035.
What makes this story so special is that Katherine didn’t just teach Hadley creative writing, she encouraged him to believe in himself as a writer. She supported him to enter competitions, helped him get published and gave him the confidence to take his writing further. Katherine is a wonderful example of the difference our staff can make to our students and their futures.
Jenny Bowley
Assistant Principal for A Levels and Creative
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For more information, please contact the UCS College Group Communications team via thecommunicationsteam@ucscollegegroup.ac.uk or on 01278 441349.