SUPER scholar Megan Pickup was given the top award as part of a university mentoring scheme.
Students who have been identified as potential Oxbridge candidates are put forward for the Villiers Park mentoring programme.
Megan, 17, from Helmshore, was selected as the best scholar from all the Year 12 students who are on the programme from East Lancashire.
She said: “I am quite a shy person, but being on the programme has helped me and given me a massive confidence boost.
“I didn’t really know what was on offer outside of sixth form but now I have got to go to university and I really like Lancaster. Next year, with Villiers Park, I will also get to go to Cambridge University for a week.
“This has given me a different perspective of what I want to do after sixth form and I think doing the scholarship will help me to get to university.”
Megan is hoping to pursue a creative career and is interested in a degree course at Lancaster in fine art and film because it combines media, art and English.
At the awards’ ceremony another Haslingden High School student Brendon Fowley performed a solo piece on the guitar.
Seven Year 9 students at Haslingden High School have just joined the Villiers Park scheme after attending a launch at Lancaster University when they were interviewed.
Students had to present a topic of their choice and these ranged from poetry and books to drawing, football and dance.
Progress Mentor Nikki Mongan said: “The university staff thought our students were amazing.
“The students spoke eloquently, showed passion for their subjects and probably most importantly they all demonstrated a real desire to improve themselves.”