\nHis Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, on Monday honored about 70 Government school students at the Al Qasimi Foundation College Preparation Program 2018 Student Annual Award Ceremony. The students received awards from His Highness for their efforts in improving themselves in a variety of subjects as they prepare to enter the world of higher education.<\/p>\n
His Highness Sheikh Saud said:<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a privilege to be here and see these young achievers receive the awards they so richly deserve<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n These students are giving themselves the best possible start in life by realizing the value of a good education early.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOne of the pillars of success is education – and improving educational standards is one of the reasons I set up the Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research.<\/em><\/p>\n The Foundation\u2019s work, focusing on education and health, is vital to ensure all communities are part of the UAE\u2019s bright future.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Three student award winners \u2013 Ms. Aisha Al Shemiele (Grade 10), Omar Al Shehhi (Grade 11) and Maryam Al Mansoori (Grade 12) \u2013 were invited to stage during the ceremony to tell the audience about their progress under the program, while Dr Natasha Ridge, Executive Director of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, delivered a welcome speech.<\/p>\n Omar Al Shehhi, a Grade 11 student at Al Rams School who received a Most Outstanding Student award, said:<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I joined this program I spent a lot of time on my phone and didn\u2019t spend much time studying. I felt that exams were for later but this program made me realize that I should study a lot more. Now I am choosing my future, managing my time better, not being late as much. The foundation has made me better at my studies, they showed me the mistakes I was making and have helped me improve myself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Aisha Al Shemiele, a Grade 10 student, said:<\/p>\n \u201cI go to the Foundation after school just for an hour and a half, so it\u2019s not taking a lot of time but I\u2019ve had a lot of benefits.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve learned the value of reading more books and I\u2019ve been taught a lot of writing skills. Every week we speak in front of our classmates and that\u2019s helped me become a more confident person.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The RAK Chamber Theater event also saw numerous graduating Grade 12 students being given awards by H.H Sheikh Saud before they enjoyed a group photo with him.<\/p>\n The 2018 Student Annual Award Ceremony is the culmination of more than 120 Government school students taking part in two Al Qasimi Foundation outreach programs \u2013 College Preparation (for students looking to attain a higher education abroad); and the Hands-on Learning Pilot Program.<\/p>\n College Preparation Program<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Supports the academic and personal development of talented Emirati students in Years 9 to 12 and prepares them to undertake university studies in the UAE and overseas.<\/p>\n Hands-on Learning Pilot Program<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Currently under way at Saeed bin Jubair Boys Secondary School and seeks to re-engage students who are at risk of dropping out. The program creates a safe and comfortable environment for them to be actively involved in hands-on building, landscaping, renovation and art projects that contribute to the school and local community and help to develop the students\u2019 confidence and other life skills, such as collaboration, leadership, problem solving, resilience, communication and empathy.<\/p>\n At the Ceremony, a variety of awards were given to students, some of whom won more than one. The honors included: 100% Attendance (22 awards), Most Improved in English (4), Best Readers (5) and Most Outstanding Students (4).<\/p>\n H.H Sheikh Saud was accompanied at the event by a number of senior RAK Government officials, including Dr Mohamed Abdullatif Khalifa, Managing Director of the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, and Ms Summaya Hareb, Director of RAK Education Zone<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, on Monday honored about 70 Government school students at the Al Qasimi Foundation College Preparation Program 2018 Student Annual Award Ceremony. The students received awards from His Highness for their efforts in improving themselves in a variety […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[],"press_release_topic":[62,92],"latest_news_topic":[],"class_list":["post-2339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-center","category-press-releases","press_release_topic-education","press_release_topic-ruler-of-ras-al-khaimah"],"acf":{"header_desc":"","header_image":false,"pdf_file":false,"related_to_hh":"yes","hi-res_image":false},"yoast_head":"\n