Students from across Lowestoft have been honoured once more during a prestigious annual awards evening.

The Rotary Club of Lowestoft held their annual Michael Marriott Rotary Youth Awards event last week.

The event was founded 12 years ago by the late Michael Marriott – a former club president and local headteacher. Throughout the past decade, students from Lowestoft's senior schools have competed in numerous award categories.

This year the students taking part hailed from four schools – Benjamin Britten Academy of Music and Mathematics, East Point Academy, Ormiston Denes Academy and Pakefield High School.

Rotarian and event co-ordinator, Malcolm Berridge, said: 'This year has seen the highest number of students participating since its foundation, namely 86 from across the four schools, in eight award categories.'

With the students competing in the categories, to be considered for the top awards they took part in interviews and presentations before panels of Rotarians. The winners were: Lucy King, of Pakefield High School, who took the public speaking award, with Daniel Pointon, of Pakefield High School, honoured with the STEM award and fellow Pakefield High School student Makenzie Keightley–Richardson taking the design award. Ormiston Denes Academy student Lauren Benjamin was honoured with the performing arts (drama) award with fellow Ormiston Denes Academy student Bryony Creedon-Jay taking the performing arts (music) award, while Elise Naunton, of East Point Academy, took the performing arts (dance) award. Kayleigh Ward, of Ormiston Denes Academy, took the food technology award with Megan Swann, of East Point Academy, taking the sport award.

The successful winners were presented with a cheque for £100 and a certificate at a Rotary dinner event last Wednesday, March 7 by the club president Kenny Cantor, Pauleen Marriott, the widow of the founder of the awards scheme, and Sally Budden, a board member of Beach Radio's Help an East Coast Child appeal fund – which once again had given a generous donation to the event.

President Mr Cantor congratulated the winners and all of the students who took part. He said: 'The worldwide Rotary movement values very much indeed being able to work with schools and students in local communities.'