AN ALLOA ACADEMY pupil recently won first place in a national art competition.

Both Benjamin Williams and Jamie Smith, S6 Advanced Higher Art and Design candidates at the school, featured in the final of the ARTiculation 2021 competition at the University of Stirling with Benjamin taking the top prize.

The ARTiculation prize is The Roche Court Educational Trust's national public speaking competition for students aged between 16 and 19.

Students are asked to deliver a ten-minute presentation on a work of art, design, architecture, or artefact of their own choice in front of an audience and an adjudicator at museums and galleries.

Adjudicators are invited to ask a question after each presentation and will give feedback to each student before selecting one speaker to go through to the Grand Final, which is held at Clare College, University of Cambridge.

Benjamin presented on the character design The Pale Man from Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro while Jamie presented on the stage set design Electra by Ming Cho Lee.

Jamie Jack, principal teacher of the Creative and Aesthetic subjects faculty, and Dr Janet Adam, acting depute head teacher, attended the final which took place on Wednesday, December 8.

Jamie said: “We are both delighted of this outstanding achievement for Benjamin.

“We are delighted for Benjamin in terms of his public speaking, preparation and for our school.

“We were beaming with joy and what a fantastic achievement for Benjamin, for the future also.

“We are mightily proud of Benjamin for gaining first place for Scotland, and to Jamie for his amazing presentation also.”