Teaching Award for Maths Star Laura
29 October 2010
A student has collected a prize set up in memory of a university lecturer who trained teachers in Wrexham for more than 30 years.
Laura Williams, 22, of Penycae, was awarded the Euros Davies Memorial Prize for achieving the highest mark in maths from the 2010 cohort of graduates from Glyndŵr University’s Primary Education with QTS degree.
Euros, who died suddenly earlier this year, taught maths to education and teaching students at Glyndŵr University, the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education and in the 1980s at teacher training college Cartrefle.
Laura, who was taught by Euros, said: “Euros was fantastic. He was passionate about maths and he inspired everyone about the subject – he was the main reason I did so well with the maths part of the course.”
The £50 prize was taken from donations from family, staff and students, following a memorial service which was held at Glyndŵr University in April. More than £600 was collected in total, with plans also in place to have a memorial bench and tree established in his memory using the donations.
Jane Osborne, senior lecturer in education at Glyndŵr University, worked with Euros for 32 years.
She said: “The prize was a fitting tribute to Euros. He was no ordinary maths lecturer - he was so committed to the teaching of maths and ensuring that high standards were maintained all the time. He cared about students and he always wanted them to achieve their very best.”
A teacher from Treuddyn who studied while raising two children has been awarded a prize for outstanding achievement after achieving a first class degree.
Debra Brown, 29, was given the prize from teaching union The Voice following completion of her degree in Primary Education with QTS.
She has just secured a job at Bryn Coch school, Mold, teaching reception class pupils.
Debra, who used to work in recruitment, said: “I’m really pleased. It was quite tough studying while looking after my children but they really helped me through.”