An Edge Hill University student from Farnworth is celebrating after overcoming family tragedy to achieve a first class honours degree.

Ellesha Steadman, is delighted with her university results, moving one step closer to her dream of becoming a teacher.

The 20-year-old was inspired to study education after her teachers pushed her to follow her dreams.

Ellesha is the first person in her family to go to university and will graduate with a First Class BA (Hons) in Education and Religion.

And she already has plans to continue her education and study a PGCE at Edge Hill.

However, reaching graduation hasn't been easy for Ellesha and she’s faced a number of hardships throughout her time at university.

Speaking about her experience, Ellesha said: "I’ve wanted to be a teacher since the age of 13.

"I struggled in school and was often seen as the class clown but I managed to turn my education around after having an amazing teacher who told me I could succeed and ever since then I’ve wanted to be just like her.

"In the end I knuckled down and got all my GCSEs and A Levels.

"I caught Covid-19 in my first year, back then it was brand new, no one knew anything about it and I was really poorly just as I was doing my end of year assignments.

"Amazingly I still managed to get a first on all of them.

“Then, in second year my mum and dad separated which is obviously a challenge for any family.

"And in my final year we faced a couple of really difficult bereavements.

"My nan, who I’d helped care for, passed away on Christmas eve and just a month after that we lost my baby nephew too.

“There were days that I had to drag myself into university, but I always wanted to get my work done and my tutors looked out for me and made sure I was okay."

Despite the hardships she had faced, Ellesha decided to become a private carer in the middle of the pandemic.

She said: "I applied to be a carer after I saw that care companies were desperate for staff and I figured I was in a good position to do it because I’d already had Covid.

"I also had a bit of experience from looking after my nan when she had dementia.”

"I’ll admit it was a bit stressful but honestly I just love caring for people.

"I go into people’s houses help them with daily tasks, everyone has a different story and different needs.

"It’s hard but so rewarding, just like teaching.”

“Everything me and my family have been through has definitely made me stronger and more resilient, I have seen parts of myself I never thought existed.

"Now that I’m graduating with a first class honours, I honestly feel like I can take on the world. 

“My family are all are over the moon.

"They wanted me to graduate so much and they’ve been so supportive.

"I’d also like to say a huge thank you my tutors and the University who offered me loads of support, helped me to meet all my deadlines and always made sure I was okay.

"I’ve discovered that anything in life that matters is worth working at.

"Getting a degree can be hard but it is definitely doable, especially with the support of my tutors who helped me to manage the stress of life, work and university."