A Dartford student has been selected for sponsorship by one of the country’s oldest charities.
Selected through the Arkwright scheme, teenager Brecon Hoadley, will benefit from mentoring and financial support from the Rochester Bridge Trust while he studies for his A-levels.
Known as a Bridge Wardens’ Scholar, Brecon was one of three young people welcomed by the Trust during a presentation ceremony in London.
Brecon, who is a resident of Betsham near Southfleet, and a pupil at Wilmington Grammar School for Boys in Dartford, is studying towards A-levels in DT – systems and control, geography, maths and physics. He hopes to become a civil engineer.
Russell Cooper, who attended the scholarship presentation ceremony on behalf of the Trust, commented: “We are committed to supporting engineering education to ensure the necessary skills to build and maintain bridges are passed on to future generations. It was a pleasure to meet Brecon and see how dedicated he is to civil engineering.”
The two other students to be supported by the Rochester Bridge Trust are Silke Heyse, from Maidstone and Theodore Macklin, from Bromley.
The scholars are selected for their potential as future engineering leaders by assessing their academic, practical and leadership skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). These are gauged through a rigorous selection process including an assessed application, aptitude exam and university-based interview.
Dr Martin Thomas, Chief Executive of the Arkwright Scholarships Trust, said: “I have been hugely impressed by the creativity, technical skills and leadership prowess of the young men and women receiving their scholarships this year.”
As a Bridge Wardens’ Scholar, each pupil and their school is presented with a financial award, as well as benefiting from a range of enrichment activities including mentoring and industry visits.
See www.arkwright.org.uk/scholars to find out more about becoming an Arkwright Scholar, or www.rochesterbridgetrust.org.uk for further information about the Trust’s engineering education initiative.