Sir Edward Garnier, MP for Harborough, presented the #YouthforChange award to former Robert Smyth Academy student Bethany Cawthrow on 9 January.
Bethany, now in her first year at Birmingham University, was selected by Sir Edward because of the impressive contribution she made when a student at Robert Smyth and her passion for women’s rights and international affairs. Bethany attended the prestigious #YouthforChange conference organised by the Department for International Development last July.
A important theme of the conference was how young people can support the movement to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child and forced marriage – two harmful practices which prevent girls and women from having control over their bodies and lives.
The Principal, Mrs Sue Jones, said, “Beth was the ideal student to represent the Academy at the conference. She has always shown an interest in global issues and played an influential role in our student council throughout her time at Robert Smyth. We are very proud of her achievements and wish her well with her chosen area of study, Economics, at the University of Birmingham.”
Edward Garnier added, “It was a pleasure to meet Beth. I was hugely impressed by her mature approach to the issues and by her willingness to learn and to speak out – last year she went to a conference in Washington DC and met a huge number of fellow students from around the world and I expect great things of her both academically at Birmingham and in the workplace after that. She is clearly a young woman with a very bright future ahead of her.”