A talented A-level student from Barrow has won highly commended in an international law essay competition.
Sixth Form College student Aliyah Turner took the prize in the Minds Underground contest, beating competition from more than 1400 students worldwide.
The 17-year-old, who is studying A-Levels in law, English Literature and psychology at the Rating Lane campus, chose to write on the topic ‘If animals have rights, can nature have rights too?’
The former Dowdales student, whose interest in law began as a teen after watching the blockbuster film Legally Blonde, said she was overjoyed to receive the award.
“I was buzzing to get the email to say my work was highly commended as the category is open to students all around the world,” she said.
“Studying a law degree at top universities can be very competitive and I entered because I wanted to stand out from the crowd in my UCAS applications. I didn’t expect to do so well.”
In her essay Aliyah, who aspires to a career as a solicitor, used the example of an oil leak from a ship to discuss the impact this then had on nature, animals and humans and included the legislation put in place for animal rights.
Rebecca Lightfoot, who is a lecturer in law and business at sixth form, said the award was well-deserved.
She said: “Aliyah is a lovely, conscientious, confident and willing student who shows a lot of care and consideration for other students. She independently planned and wrote her essay providing references from sources she had researched relating to the topic. She will make a great solicitor and we are so proud of her award.”
The Minds Underground competition saw students enter from across the globe including South Korea, Nigeria, Russia, Pakistan and America.
Aliyah said her tutors had been “amazingly supportive” of her studies and encouraged anyone thinking of law to go for it.
“If you have a passion for something as I do for law, it makes learning fun,” she said.
