Ann Blanking
A Derry teacher has been named in Queen Elizabeth’s birthday honours list.
St Mary’s College science teacher, Ann Blanking, has been awarded an MBE (member of the civil division of the most excellent Order of the British Empire) for her outstanding contribution to the teaching of STEM (science, technoloy, engineering and mathematics).
Pupils and staff at the Northland Road school are delighted with her award.
Marie Lindsay, school principal, said: “Mrs Blanking is a real inspiration.
“Her Chemistry Club is always oversubscribed and she has that unique ability to make Science exciting and enjoyable for so many of our pupils.
“We are delighted that she has received this richly deserved recognition for the amazing work that she does.
“How lucky are our pupils to have her as their inspiration and how lucky are we the staff to have her as our colleague.
“Warmest congratulations on being awarded an MBE.”
Mrs Lindsay said there would be a “Special Assembly” in the school Monday on morning to celebrate “this very special lady who is fondly referred to by her pupils in the Chemistry Club as ‘their second mammy’ and who is very popular with both pupils and staff.”
Mrs Blanking, who has taught science in St Mary’s College for nearly 20 years is well known across the North and beyond for the continued and outstanding success of her young scientists in the prestigious BT Young Scientist Competition.
Well known for her commitment and dedication to her pupils, she runs a very popular Chemistry Club in the school and is loved by her pupils for her enthusiasm, dedication and the many, many hours outside of school time that she devotes to her beloved Chemistry Club pupils.
They also love the wit and charm that she brings to everything she does.
Pupils from Mrs Blanking’s Chemistry Club have won a long list of titles and awards:
They have been competing for many years at The BT Young Scientist Competition with great success.
In the last three years, she has successfully taken 27 Science projects to the BTYSTE finals in Dublin. Many of these have enjoyed great success and have won numerous awards.
Mrs Blanking was recognised herself in 2012 when she won the all island Intel Teacher of Excellence Award.
St Mary’s was also awarded Best School in NI and has won a number of special awards including the Royal Society of Chemistry Award, the Irish Medical Board Award on two occasions and numerous category awards.
At the NI Young Innovators in Belfast, pupils from St Mary’s Chemistry Club under Mrs Blanking’s guidance, have won the NI Young Scientist of the Year Award twice and two St Mary’s pupil won the prestigious Northern Ireland Young Innovator of the Year.
These pupils went on to represent Northern Ireland at the Intel World Science Fair in San Jose in California;
On numerous occasions St Mary’s College pupils have represented Northern Ireland at the Big Bang Science Fair final in England.
David Reeves, an air traffic controller at City of Derry Airport, also receives an MBE.
Howard Hastings, of the Hastings Group, owners of the recently bombed Everglades Hotel in Derry, has been awarded an OBE (officer of the civil division of the most excellent Order of the British Empire).
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