Jess Boyce

Jessica Boyce is 18 years old and has Asperger Syndrome, which is part of the Autistic Spectrum. She attends the special Olympics club and in 2009 achieved a bronze medal in Badminton. She also swims and plays bowls. Jessica has taken part in 3 Shakespeare Schools Festivals and has achieved her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze, Silver and is currently pursuing her Gold Award. She is Head Girl at her school, and is nurturing towards the younger students. In spite of fierce competition for limited places, Jessica has achieved an internship at Sunderland Royal Hospital to start September. She is vice chair of City Equals, who won the 2011 Young Achiever's Service to Community Award for City of Sunderland, for raising awareness of issues which affect young people with a learning disability or difficulty. She has a great sense of humour, and when giving a presentation to the Chief Executive at Sunderland Council, she finished the presentation that he can help himself to free City Equals pens.