The St Thomas More Character Shield Awards are based on the Fruits of the Spirit in the book of Galatians.
Each year, five Character Shields are awarded; these shields are nominated and decided by staff. The 5th award is a pupil choice award where the student body votes. These are prestigious awards and recipients of both the shields and nomination certificates reflect those who display the character traits we see in the inspiring stories the shields are named after.
The Father Donnelly Shield – Love, Goodness, & Community
The father Donnelly Shield for community recognises young people who do their best to bring a community together in love and goodness. Recipients may befriend the lonely, be inclusive in nature or invest in others beyond their friendship group.
Father Dermott – Founder of the pioneering Youth Ministry Team from the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle that gathers thousands of young people together in community.
The Irena Sendler Shield – Courage & Integrity
The Irena Sendler Shield for courage & integrity recognises the everyday bravery of our students. Recipients will have overcome personal barriers and hardships or shown acts of courage or integrity even when it is not popular.
Irena Sendler was a Polish nurse in WW2 who helped thousands of children escape the horrors of the Holocaust. This could have cost her life but she wanted to stand up for what was right.
The Oscar Romero Shield – Peace & Gentleness & Dignity
The Oscar Romero shield for peace & dignity recognises students who bring a calm and gentle presence to the school. Recipients are known for speaking the best of others & carrying themselves with a quiet dignity.
As the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero embraced a simple quiet life and became a voice for the voiceless during the rising conflict and violence in El Salvador. He was nominated for a Nobel peace prize in 1979 but was shot during Mass whilst preaching about peace.
The Wilma Rudolph Shield – Patience & faithfulness.
The Wilma Rudolph shield for patience & faithfulness recognises students that practice perseverance and show resilience in school. Recipients may have overcome educational barriers, succeeded after setbacks or not given up regardless of circumstances.
Wilma Rudolph was paralysed by polio, and contracted both scarlet fever and pneumonia. Doctors felt she would never walk again, yet she always believed otherwise. By the time she was 12, she had worked hard to regain her ability to walk and took up athletics. Eight years later she was an Olympic champion.
The Barnardo Shield – Kindness
The Barnardo shield for kindness & compassion recognises students who show kindness & compassion to others around them. Recipients have a character of helpfulness and care. They support others around them & try to put others first.
Thomas John Barnardo was known for his kindness and philanthropy. He was the founder and director of homes for poor and deprived children. Between 1867 to the date of Barnardo’s death, nearly 60,000 children had been taken in and supported through his work.
