‘Young mums can do this’ - Institute student returns to complete course
Becoming a mother encouraged one Guernsey Institute student to go back to college to complete her studies.
Jade Lewis-Gallienne, 20, completed a Level 2 Health and Social Care course some four years ago and earned a merit.
She started the Level 3 but only completed two of the units before her son, Jackson, arrived.
‘I came back to finish the first year,’ she said.
Yesterday she found she had earned a merit for the course and she is now hoping to turn this into a distinction by returning in September.
It was having her baby that encouraged her to return, she said.
‘Since having him I’ve wanted to do well for myself and build a good future for him,’ she said.
‘I’d like to get the message out there that young mums can do this.’
Three students on the Level 3 Performing Arts course had different plans for their future.
Scar Stewart, 18, had thought of going to university but instead of leaving the island he will stay at the Institute to take part in its new Level 4 course in the same subject.
This is the equivalent of the first year of a degree course, said principal Louise Misselke.
‘I got a distinction and I’m very happy,’ said Scar.
He had had an offer to continue his studies at Chichester University but said he had decided to stay in the island for the new course. ‘That will give me an extra level of maturity going into another year.’
Engineering student Lee Bourgaize earned a distinction* and two distinctions on the Level 3 course.
‘I’m really pleased,’ he said.
He has found a job with The Little Green Energy Company.
‘Green energy is the future. Everything is going that way.’
Mrs Misselke said it was too early to do a comparison with last year’s results, but she was pleased with what she had seen so far.
‘I think our students have done really well,’ she said.
While Harry Ozanne, 18, did not get the merit for the course that he needed to get into Bournemouth University, the pass he earned was acceptable to get into Winchester instead.
‘I’ll now have to go through clearing,’ he said. ‘I’ve been to Bournemouth before and I loved it there.’
