Every year Earsay presents the Pat Bougeard Achievement Award for a deaf child/young person who has achieved something special throughout the year.
After our largest ever number of nominations were judged by an independent third party, Earsay are very proud to announce the 2023 winner is Finn Devaney.
Finn Devaney, 11, was nominated by his mum, Regina Devaney, for his progress and growth in independence over the year and particularly for being confident and standing up for another boy when he was being bullied. Finn has overcome initial anxiety to go on, and enjoy, several trips, including a week away in France with school. He has also been very creative and taken up poetry and writing raps and will be entering the next talent show at school. His family and school are extremely proud of his achievements this year. Earsay are pleased to award this year’s Pat Bougeard Achievement Award to Finn and wish him well for the future ahead.
The runner up nominees for the Earsay Pat Bougeard Achievement Award 2023 were:
Victor Caraman – nominated by Mrs Cook for being a valuable member of his class with great ideas, a great singing voice and an ability to turn learning into a fun game. He stood up in front of Year 5 to do a talk on wearing hearing aids – very brave. He’s also made lots of new friends and is good at asking them to help him with his hearing equipment. Also nominated by Mrs Dhami for showing resilience during a challenging year and for being a “superhero super-listener”. He’s also a fantastic deaf ambassador.
Mason McNaney – nominated by Mrs Carroll for the wonderful progress he has made in eighteen months. When he joined nursery, shortly after he got hearing aids, he could hear very little and struggled to speak or make himself understood because he could not hear the sounds. But he took every opportunity open to him and, by the time he reached Reception, he’d learnt all his phonic sounds and was able to start reading and writing less than two months after starting “big” school. He is an excellent role model for what can be achieved with never giving up and doing your very best.
Jayson Jouny – nominated by Mrs Du Val for doing his best in absolutely everything and being a great example of Bel Royal’s core values of Include, Believe and Achieve. He works really hard and perseveres, always with a huge smile on his face and lots of enthusiasm.
Luca James Dawson – nominated by Mrs Webster for being a really positive, well motivated learner who gives 100% to all he does. This year was particularly good for him as he took one of the lead roles in the school production after a gruelling audition with 50 others. He’s also been chosen to represent Jersey in the Under 11s Centre of Excellence football team, again against many other great footballers.
Esmeralda Jeffrey – nominated by Dad for doing so well at school this year and a really great help to him at home. She’s had to have ongoing treatment in Southampton hospital this year but has just carried on and been very brave.
Clarissa Jeffrey – nominated by Dad for excelling at school, being a fantastic help at home and for surpassing all expectations despite the obstacles put in her way. She’s had a tough year, back and forth to Southampton because her eyes are deteriorating, but she smiles through it all and keeps everybody going with her funny sense of humour.
Eva Grace Conway – from Mrs Du Val for always trying her hardest and persevering when things are tricky. She is good at including others in all she does and has a really positive attitude to everything. She’s done particularly well with her art this year and presented it to her class with clarity, growing confidence and always lots of smiles and giggles!
Earsay also received one nomination from a previous Achievement Award winner and whilst Earsay recognises their achievements the nomination was not passed on for judging as they are not eligible for a second award win:
Heather Armstrong – nominated by Rupi Dhami for going from strength to strength since embarking on her A level studies. She has taken on the responsibility of educating her peers and teachers on what being deaf can mean, as well as continuing to develop her BSL skills, leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
Nominations for Earsay’s 2024 Award can be made later in the year, by anyone – teacher/parent/club leader etc please see Earsay’s website www.earsay.je for details.
