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How airport hero and Stanks school building share same name
He became an international hero after helping to thwart a terrorist attack on a UK airport.
And now baggage handler John Smeaton is set to leave his mark on Leeds after accepting a rather unusual honour.
The 31-year-old has agreed to officially open a new 25m school building that shares his name – John Smeaton Community College in Stanks.
* Click here for more John Smeaton Community College news.
"We are trying to promote an ethos of good citizenship in our school," said headteacher John Daulby. "There's no doubt that Mr Smeaton is an example of good citizenship. He was incredibly brave in what he did and is the kind of hero we should be promoting."
Mr Smeaton, from Renfrewshire, who will officially open the school after Easter, hit the headlines last June after a flaming Jeep rammed into a terminal building at Glasgow Airport, where he worked.
While most fled in horror, Mr Smeaton rushed to help a policeman who was being attacked by one of the vehicle's occupants.
He also helped drag an injured colleague away from the Jeep, which was loaded with propane canisters.
Since his actions, Mr Smeaton has been lauded around the globe, attended a memorial event at Ground Zero in New York and been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.
Usually, schools are formally opened by royalty or politicians. "In a sense, this is all about community," said Mr Daulby.
"Our new building is a great community facility and we want people to respect it and feel part of this school."
Mr Daulby stressed that the school would still be named after Austhorpe-born John Smeaton, an 18th century physicist regarded as the father of civil engineering.
Chris Edwards, chief executive of Education Leeds, which is overseeing a massive school rebuilding exercise in the city, said: "John Smeaton is a fantastic, improving school, and these new facilities are helping John Daulby and his wonderful team continue their remarkable success story.
"The inspiring and innovative facilities are built around the needs and aspirations of our talented school-based colleagues, the area's young people and the wider community. They will provide a platform for brilliant learning for this and future generations at the heart of this community."
* Visit Cross Gates Today on Thursday for a special report on the remarkable transformation of John Smeaton Community College.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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