24 May 2011
Young Reporters for the Environment is an international programme, sponsored by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which operates in 23 countries throughout the world and is managed in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy and part-funded by Countryside Council for Wales. Secondary school pupils are invited to investigate a local environmental issue, produce a journalistic report or photograph and then report on their findings.
The programme provides them with a vision of the professional world of journalism and may inspire them to pursue this as a career. Pupils base their project on one of a number of international topics, which include: Coastline, Cities, Agriculture and Nature, Climate Change, and Biodiversity.
This year’s overall winners are Glyncoed Comprehensive School in Blaenau Gwent with their article ‘Biodiversity or not biodiversity?’.
The two runners-up are Ysgol Gyfun Llangynwyd in Bridgend with ‘Otters under the bridge’ and Ysgol Duffryn Nantlle in Gwynedd with ‘Is pollution damaging our coastline?’. The budding journalists will be presented with their awards at the Royal Welsh Show in July.
Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, Lesley Jones, said:
"Young Reporters for the Environment celebrates talented young people who express a passion for protecting our planet. The winning articles are an inspiration for us all as we work together to achieve a sustainable future."
Dave Evans, Chief Executive of social enterprise company XSnrg and Trustee for Keep Wales Tidy, chaired the judging panel and commented:
"It was a privilege to Chair the Jury for this year’s awards, we were very impressed by the high quality of the winning articles. Next year we hope to see even more Welsh schools encouraging their pupils to take part in this very prestigious international programme."
The three articles will be submitted to the International Jury in Copenhagen and judged alongside the other countries involved. Last year two of the Welsh winners came first place in the International Awards: Glan-y-Môr Comprehensive School from Llanelli and Tonyrefail Comprehensive School from Rhondda Cynon Taff won the Biodiversity and Energy categories respectively.
Gill Bilsborough from Countryside Council for Wales comments:
"Caring for the environment and the special places we live in is something that we all feel strongly about. It can sometimes be difficult to get these messages across to young people in an age of social networking and computers but the entries we receive for the YRE competition quickly remind us that the younger generation is most definitely aware of the issues. This is why YRE is so important to the Countryside Council for Wales."
Click here to find out more about the programme and to read the winning articles.