MP DIANE ABBOTT will host an award ceremony for high achieving black youngsters at the House of Commons this Friday (Sept 30).
The annual ceremony, which has been run for the last five years by the Hackney MP and UBS bank, will celebrate the outstanding achievements of black students at GCSE, A Level and university level.
Simon Dawit, a pupil at Dawit of St Charles Sixth Form College, is up for a gong after achieving two A*s and two A grades at A Level while facing the prospect of deportation from the UK.
Another student nominated for an award is Anna-Marie Ssemuyaba who managed to juggle her school work with caring for her father. She went onto achieve one A* and two A grades at A Level.
"We have seen a lot of negative coverage of youngsters in the media, following the riots that took place over the summer. But I think Simon, Anna and Jesse are great examples of local youngsters who are working hard, setting a good example and making a different to the local community," Abbott said.
"This year’s candidates have been excellent and it’s been tougher than ever to decide who to shortlist. This event is about celebrating our top black achievers who are so often overlooked, giving them the recognition they deserve and the tools to go forward to successful careers," she added.