Hello all!
It’s been a while since we’ve checked in here on the Notes from HQ blog. But what better way to bring it back than with a rundown of this year’s Global Awards held in Kyoto, Japan!
With our winners now crowned and the team all safely back home with bellies full of sushi, we wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate our winners and share what we got up to with you guys.
Our Awards
With the disruption from Covid, it’s been a while since we held our last Global Awards, so, if you’ve joined us since 2019, or could do with a refresher, here’s a little bit about what the awards are all about:
Each year, we make sure to recognise team members for outstanding performance or contributions to Elevate. The Global Awards are designed to celebrate those who go above and beyond in their role, doing whatever they can to help those they work with on the day-to-day - be it colleagues, clients or students. There are four categories in the awards:
1. Presenter of the Year
2. Coach of the Year
3. Team Leader of the Year
4. Office Team Member of the Year
Before the Global Awards takes place, our UK, Australian, South African and US businesses each hold their own National Awards where a winner from each category is selected. This takes place during a ‘National Awards Day’, where the team will meet at the office, watch some guest speakers and announce their winners before going for a celebratory meal.
These National Winners are then put forward for the Global Awards and are flown out to an exciting location that changes each year – last time it was in Florence, Italy! There, along with the GMs and members of Global HQ, they spend a number of days exploring the area, getting involved with the culture and eating lots of good food before the awards ceremony itself…
Elevate’s Presenter of the Year Award
At Elevate, we promise schools high-impact, engaging, interactive workshops for their students - and that’s exactly what our presenters deliver time and time again. Equipped with heaps of charisma, energy and study-skills knowledge, Elevate presenters take the bar and raise it when it comes to educational workshops. The Presenter of the Year Award looks to celebrate this, recognising presenters who strive to inspire, adapt and support those around them.
Our 2023 Global Presenter of the Year Nominees
With such an outstanding group of presenters in every team, it’s no easy undertaking to choose just one for the title of National Presenter of the Year. However, the following team members were recognised across the board for their outstanding feedback across the school year.
Ali Elkossi
UK Team
‘A phenomenal presenter’ who ‘could burn a classroom to the ground and still get full stats’
Hudson Laycock
Australian Team
The presenter with the highest feedback average globally – and a ‘great mop of hair’
Nayab Quershi
US Team
Nayab has a gift for ‘making people feel welcome and excited’ and ‘embodies so much of what it means to help the kids’
Anthony Tanzer
South African Team
‘An Elevate SA veteran who has seen it all, done it all, and left a trail of awesome feedback and motivated students in his wake’
Our 2023 Global Presenter of the Year
Hudson Laycock
Australian Team
‘The ceremony was pretty surreal. I've had the global presenter of the year award on my mind for some years. It felt incredible to actually receive it and be recognised for the work I've put into my craft over the years. It felt more like a reward for the last 5 years of presenting rather than a reward for just my efforts in 2022. It was fantastic to see Alex and Kevin win too!!! And to be honest, as much as I'd only known him for a couple of days, seeing Dante win global Team Leader of the year was really special. He was truly an awesome person to meet on the trip.’
Congratulations Hudson, very well deserved – thank you again for the amazing work you do in our client schools!
You can check out the full nomination video below!
We’ll be covering the Coach of the Year nominees – and winner! - next week, so make sure you stay tuned for that.
But before you go, take a look at what the team got up to on day 1 of the Kyoto trip!
Kyoto Day 1: Temples, Sword and Hotpots
This year, the setting of choice for the Global Awards was Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital. Kyoto was the capital for over 700 years and is still considered to be the country’s top destination for a taste of Japan’s rich culture and history. The area is home to a bucketload of ornate shrines and temples, tranquil gardens and bustling food markets serving up traditional local cuisine, making it a haven for history buffs and foodies alike.
Two weeks ago, a select number of the Elevate team flew out to enjoy four days of sightseeing, activities, and plenty of karaoke!
There’s no rest for the wicked, and the team were up bright and early to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring two of the city’s 1600 Buddhist temples: Kinkaku-Ji (the Golden Pavilion) and the Ryoanhi Temple.
After unwinding at the temples, the team then shifted gear for the afternoon, heading to a unique Samurai Experience where they learned all about the history of the Samurai and Bushido before wielding a real Katana sword themselves. Below you’ll find an action shot of our CEO and founder, Douglas, bravely taking on a bamboo mat whilst looking menacing in a traditional Japanese kimono:
Following that fearsome display, there was just enough time for a quick guided meditation session before cramming in some more Kyoto sightseeing. Day 1 was rounded off with some Japanese hotpot, a visit to a rooftop bar, and some well-earned rest to prepare the team for day 2...
Join us next week for Day 2!
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