Future Olympic hopefuls and straight-A students were among those recognised last night at a special awards ceremony on Monday night.

The Trailblazer awards, organised by The Learning Trust, celebrates young people who are breaking barriers and achieving excellence in education. Categories included sport, music, creative arts, turning your life around and outstanding achievement and Holby City and Waterloo Road actor Wil Johnson presented the awards.

Among the 170 award winners were several who aced last year’s GCSE exams. Nneoma Nwaosu and Aminat Oladipupo of Cardinal Pole, Le-My Dang of Clapton Girls’ Academy, Vivien Hoang of Our Lady’s Convent High School, Rebecca Verlander and Alice Simpson of Stoke Newington School achieved straight As and A*s in all subjects.

Several sporting stars from our schools were also highlighted, with their eyes set firmly on the Olympic Games of the future, like sailor Josephine Gummer, 15 and who attends Clapton Girls’ Academy and tennis player Savannah Sills, 16.

Several students were nominated for academic excellence, including Joe Kimber of The Urswick School in Paragon Road, was nominated by teachers for being ‘hard-working’ and ‘conscientious’, recording the best grades in his year.

Guests at the event were treated to entertainment from several Hackney ensembles including the Hackney Creative Jazz Ensemble and drummers from Cardinal Pole Catholic School, and entertainer Kat B also made an appearance.

Acting chief executive of The Learning Trust, Steve Belk said it had been a “truly inspirational evening, with so many stories of student successes.”

“I’d like to thank the students for doing their best and making Hackney proud,” he added.