Meet the winners: Go out there and innovate
This category was for creative thinkers and problem-solvers who had groundbreaking ideas to improve their community.
The goal was to think outside the box and use innovation and imagination to develop novel solutions to local challenges. As changemakers, showcasing what young innovators can achieve by making a positive impact through creativity, projects resulted in a tangible innovation that addressed a specific community.
Gold: Sprout Cards - Outwood Academy Haydock, St Helens
This group aimed to improve their community's aesthetic and foster pride by creating and installing planters in shared greenspaces. Adding plaques ensured a lasting, tangible impact. This was a highly creative and innovative project. Crucially, they adopted a brilliant business-like plan: they held a bake sale to raise funds and then used the proceeds to buy plants and equipment.
This multi-stage, self-financing approach was highly strategic. The boys worked well together, executing their plans perfectly. They developed key skills in fundraising, project management, practical construction, and financial planning. Their success demonstrates excellent collaboration and strategic thinking.
Silver: 3 Boys; 3 Bikes - Outwood Academy Ripon, Ripon
The team successfully promoted cycling as a sustainable transportation method and a vital tool for personal health. Over a three-week period, the team demonstrated maturity beyond their years by completing 49 hours of voluntary service. Their leadership was particularly evident in their management of group logistics; they conducted comprehensive safety briefings for participants before leading organised excursions from Ripon Town Market Square.
This project required significant confidence and organisational skill, effectively showcasing the team's ability to manage public safety while advocating for environmental consciousness and physical well-being within the community.
Bronze: Outwood Unplugged - Outwood Academy Ormesby, Middlesbrough
The student-created podcast provided an open, transparent platform for discussing crucial local issues, specifically mental health and the living context of their estate. This initiative resulted in a direct increase in awareness across the local community. It successfully showcased the significant impact that local situations are having on the lives and well-being of young people.
By sharing their voices, the students have fostered a critical public discussion, driving home the reality of these challenges and encouraging community reflection and action.
