Teddy Szemberg O’Connor from Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith has been awarded an Arkwright Scholarship.

Jim Clark, Head of Design and Technology at Latymer said “This is well deserved recognition for an outstanding student – well done Teddy!”

Teddy himself said “I am delighted. Making things has always been a passion of mine. I hope to have a career in engineering and this award is a real boost to me.”

Teddy was selected after successfully passing the Arkwright Aptitude Paper, in which he demonstrated flair and originality in solving engineering design problems. He also presented his GCSE work to a panel of interviewers earlier in March and April.

Teddy is pictured here holding his own creation, a pitchmeter, which he designed himself as part of his GCSE in Design Technology. It measures the angle at which a rowing boat’s oars enter the water and is used to check that a boat has been rigged correctly before use. “As a keen rower myself, I know how useful this device is when preparing a boat for a race,” says Teddy.

The selection process for the Arkwright scholarship culminated in an interview for shortlisted candidates at Imperial College, London. The candidates completed a team exercise which gave them a taste of the challenge and excitement of engineering related careers.

Scholarships are sponsored by industry and charitable trusts and will be formally presented at a ceremony hosted by The Institute of Engineering and Technology, Savoy Place, London on Friday 27th October 2006. During the day, the scholars will have an opportunity to meet their sponsors and other scholars.

The Arkwright Trust was founded in 1990 and supports young people during their A-level years by awarding £250 a year to assist with the purchase of material and books. Teddy will also carry the status of ‘Arkwright Scholar’ into university. In addition, Latymer’s Design and Technology department will receive £225 per year for the next two years.