A celebration of achievement

Over 120 Teesside Secondary School pupils and 55 University of Teesside students will receive special certificates in a ceremony at the University of Teesside on Wednesday 24 April 2002 at 2pm in the Innovation and Virtual Reality Centre Lecture Theatre, off Stephenson Street, Middlesbrough (behind the Evening Gazette offices).

The pupils and students are receiving certificates to acknowledge their achievements in the National Mentoring Pilot Project (NMPP). The NMPP was first launched by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) three years ago in five Universities, including Teesside, and has expanded to 21 Universities. Through the project University of Teesside students have worked one-to-one as Mentors each week with Secondary pupils from seven schools, aged 13-15. They have covered a range of activities, including study skills, research and exam revision, which aim to raise pupils’ aspirations and build self-esteem. Over 950 mentors and 3,500 pupils are involved in the project nationally.

The 55 mentors, all students at the University, will receive certificates signed by the Secretary of State for the DfES, Estelle Morris. The 120 Secondary pupils will also receive certificates, along with 15 of their own teachers. The University of Teesside’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Helen Pickering will award all certificates. There will be an opportunity to photograph some of the Mentors and pupils at 2.40pm on Wednesday 24 April in the Innovation and Virtual Reality Centre Lecture Theatre.

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