A STANDING OVATION FOR THE STATIONERS' ACADEMY
7 MARCH 2017
It was humbling to listen to Jess Inaba, the elected President of the Sixth Form at the Stationers' Academy, speak so fluently at our Livery Lunch on Monday, 6 March 2017. It takes a lot of guts to stand up and speak in Stationers' Hall in front of 180 guests; to do it so well when you are only eighteen years old and visually impaired was very very impressive indeed.
It was very moving to hear from Jess how much the Stationers' Academy had helped her to overcome the challenges that she has faced, be very well placed to read law at university and plan for a career as a barrister, something that Jess is clearly going to be very good at.
She is an amazing young woman: already involved a lot of charitable work helping other visually impaired people and an inspirational role model for the students at our academy and all of us who are connected with it. It was also gratifying to hear her talk about how much support the Stationers' Company has given to the academy and the difference that it is making to the students there.
Jess's very impressive speech made us all realise how worthwhile is the work that the Company is doing, through its members, at the Stationers' Academy.
Not surprisingly, Jess received a standing ovation when she finished speaking; something that very rarely happens at Stationers' Hall. We are all very proud of her.