MEET the Foundation’s latest award winners and ask them the burning questions about life at university, what excites them about engineering and their career hopes.
2012 Winners
Thousands of pounds were handed out by the REACT Foundation on Thursday, September 13th. The reward had been promised to the teenagers earlier on in the year and was finally handed out after they secured a  place at either university or A-level choice. Kyran Clark, of Keswick School, and Helena Tranter, of Cockermouth School, scooped the two bursary titles. They were awarded the top prizes after applying for an engineering-related degree at university which they start this month. Kyran, 18, of Keswick, who will embark on a four-year chemical engineering course at the University of Manchester, said: “A few years ago I was lucky enough to be chosen for the Foundation’s Year 11 Award and that set me in good stead during my A-levels, so I knew I wanted to apply for the Bursary. Helena, 18, of Bridgefoot, who will study a three-year civil engineering course at Birmingham University, added: “I’m thrilled to finally have the Bursary money in my hand – I will put it to use for my course and buy things I would have otherwise had to fund myself. Samuel Cole, 18, of Seaton, walked away with a further £1,000 bursary from Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) West Cumbria - now in its third year. The bursary is offered in addition to the Foundation’s fund in recognition of its help encouraging West Cumbrian students into a mechanical engineering-related degree.
The charity has also seen an outstanding response for the cash prizes this year - 13 other young hopefuls were also given £200 each at the Foundation’s Award Evening held at The Beacon, Whitehaven. The Year 11 teenagers had been hand-picked from hundreds of entries from secondary schools across the region after pledging to study a STEM-related subject at sixth form this term.
2011 Year Winners
St Benedict's sixth form student Richard Beck scooped the Foundation's top prize of the Bursary Award - £3,145. The cash will go towards paying university fees for an Engineering Degree at Oxford University which he will start this month. Alexander Johnston of Nelson Thomlinson School won £1,000, courtesy of IMechE West Cumbria Bursary Award. 
A further £2,000 was also handed out to 10 eager Year 11 students who were rewarded for choosing to study Maths and a STEM subject in sixth form. All West Cumbrian Secondary Schools are invited to nominate students for this award and the REACT Foundation offers one prize to each school. The 2011 winners were Robert Brough, Cockermouth School; Hugh Guise, Keswick School; Holly Harper, Solway School; Rachel Ronaldson, St Benedict's School; Glen Atherton, Stainburn School; Matthew Brown, Whitehaven School; Stephen Slater, West Lakes Academy; James Bentley, Millom School; Kelvin Southwell, St Joseph's School and Katie Lamb, Southfield Technology Centre.
2010 Bursary Award Winner - Heather Riley
REACT Foundation Bursary Award winner for 2010 was former Cockermouth School pupil Heather Riley. Heather picked up her cheque for £3,145.00 at the Awards Evening held at The Beacon, Whitehaven in September. Heather is now at Grey College, Durham University studying mechanical engineering.
(l to r) - Pete Woolaghan, REACT Foundation Chairman and Heather Riley.
2010 Year 11 Award Winners
Nine lucky teenagers were all named as winners and each received £200 in September after picking an engineering, science, technology or maths related subject to study in sixth form. They were chosen from 9 secondary schools across the region. The winners were Alex Hampson, winner of the REACT Foundation Cockermouth School Award, Kyran John Clark, winner of the REACT Foundation Keswick School Award, Emily Graham, winner of the REACT Foundation Nelson Thomlinson School Award, Dean Petre, winner of the REACT Foundation Netherhall School Award, David Stanwix, winner of the REACT Foundation Solway School Award, Zach Gorely, winner of the REACT Foundation St Benedict's School Award, Michael Thomas Briscoe, winner of the REACT Foundation Stainburn School Award, Luke Mudie, winner of the REACT Foundation Whitehaven School Award and Oliver Burn, winner of the REACT Foundation West Lakes Academy Award.
 Andrew Messenger & Richard McCormack
REACT Foundation Bursary Award: 2 Awards of £3,145.00 September 2009
Andrew from Keswick School and Richard from Wyndham School in Egremont shared the Award in 2009. Both were awared £3,145.00.
Both are currently studying Mechanical Engineering at Durham University.
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(L to R) Andrew, Pete Woolaghan (chairman) & Richard
 Year 11 Award Winners 2009
The charity made three Year 11 Awards to Catherine Anthony of Whitehaven School, Ryan Johnstone of Solway School (now studying at NelsonThomlinson) and Laura Hind of Keswick School.
Each student won £200.
picture (l to r) Catherine, Pete Woolaghan (Chairman of The REACT Foundation), Ryan, Sue Donnelly (Aimhigher Cumbria) and Laura Hind.
 James Walker
REACT Foundation Bursary Award: £1,000 September 2007
Currently at Manchester University studying Civil & Structural Engineering. The competition asked students to focus their presentation on Climate Change and how engineering could offer workable solutions.
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Martin Bell
REACT Foundation Bursary Award: £1,000
August, 2006
Currently at Manchester University studying Civil Engineering
The 200th anniversary of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel who’s work included bridges, railways, ships and tunnels led the trustees to ask applicants to highlight a number of specific technical advances he brought to engineering and explain where his legacy may still impact upon engineering design and society today.
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Matthew Harrison
REACT Foundation Bursary Award: £1,000
August, 2005
Studied Mechanical Engineering at Manchester University
To coincide with Whitehaven’s Maritime Festival and the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, he was asked to explain the engineering involved in navigation and how this developed throughout history culminating in modern day navigation techniques and the engineering associated with these and also how this has influenced society and how it may develop in the future.
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Gareth Hunt
REACT Foundation Bursary Award: £1,000
August, 2004
Studied Engineering at Leeds University
Explained the engineering involved in sending a text message from one mobile telephone to another in another continent and the effect that mobile telephones have had upon society and how this may develop in the future.
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Tommy Hodgeson
REACT Foundation iPod Award
August, 2007
Formerly of Keswick School
Robert Hagan
REACT Foundation iPod Award
August, 2007
Formerly of St Benedicts School
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Matthew McGarry
REACT Foundation iPod Award
August, 2006
Formerly of St Benedicts School
Awarded an iPod by The REACT Foundation when he reached the final of the national competition - Young Apprentice of the Year. Matthew went on to win the
UK title. |
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