Amazing all-rounder Ameya champions ISA Whitbread Memorial Prize 2024
The Independent Schools Association is thrilled to applaud Ameya Dhanjal from Crosfields School as the winner of the Whitbread Memorial Prize for 2024.
The ISA Whitbread Prize celebrates outstanding contributions in school and community life, as well as academic excellence in Year 11 exams.
As one of the first cohort to go through the senior section of Crosfields, Ameya thrived in being a pioneer shaping the school through her strong sense of leadership and maturity beyond her years. As House Captain and Prefect, she embodied House spirit in her final year at Crosfields.
The school is proud to have such a strong representative for girls in STEM, with Ameya being the only one to take Computer Science and Additional Maths at GCSE. She reflects on this: ‘I recognise that these areas are male-dominated, and I am passionate about breaking the stereotype. I was pleased that I helped encourage younger female pupils to opt for these subjects.’ Ameya has since been invited to the Royal Institution of Mathematics Masterclasses inspiring her to study Maths for A level.
Ameya as Crosfields House Captain
As a Sports Scholar, Ameya has become an avid player and a wonderful representative for young girls in sports both in and out of school. With her great outlook on life and ever-proactive attitude, Ameya shares positivity wherever she goes.
She has continued to develop her sporting skills through captaincy of Hockey and Cricket teams and coaching in school aiding the younger students. Outside of school, Ameya is pleased to play for the Ladies Sonning Hockey Club Team which encouraged her to push outside of her comfort zone and play with more competitive teammates and higher quality play. Most impressively at a mere 12 years old, she cycled 300km to Wales.
Practice cycle from Reading to Cheltenham with Dad (Suki) and older brother (Rajan) (115km total)
Cycling to Wales on the Severn Bridge
Ameya has an acute sense of mission and determination commenting ‘I have recognised that if you want something done, you have to drive it for it to happen. Being motivated and persistent is key. I love to help people and believe it is imperative to support our community, which is why I so heavily get involved in charity work.’
Ameya is committed to supporting her community. She was president of the student-led charity club for 3 years organising fundraiser events that raised over £5,000. She honed her entrepreneurial skills to raise more money through re-stringing and re-griping the school badminton racquets along with using recycled school uniform material to make tartan face masks during the pandemic.
Ameya also made contributions to the Arts at Crosfields. She has represented the school at the Woodley Festival numerous times and participated in many concerts, most notably Barnardo’s Charity concert in the Royal Albert Hall. Ameya assisted in several senior school productions ranging from stagehands to lighting technician. Not only has she put aside her own time to support the artistic vision for a production, but she has also aided her peers with their GCSE performances by overseeing the production elements.
She notes, ‘I have always enjoyed contributing to the school plays whether that be acting, singing, making props or being a stagehand. I persuaded the Drama staff to let me get involved in lighting, and as a result, senior students are now being encouraged to take this role in the future’.
She finished her time at Crosfields by putting together the Leavers Yearbook before embarking on her next adventure at Kendrick Grammar School studying Maths, Physics and Economics. Ameya sets her goals high with an ambition to undertake an aerodynamics or aeronautical engineering degree and eventually work in motorsport. We wish her the best of luck in her journey!
ISA President, Lord Lexden, will welcome her to the House of Lords in February where she will receive her prize and celebrate this fantastic achievement.
The Whitbread Prize is a celebration of all nominees for the award, each recognised for their invaluable contribution to school and community life alongside outstanding individual achievements in many fields. Each nominee takes pride of place on the Whitbread Prize Roll of Honour.