Hunt is on for teacher and student of the year (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Hunt is on for teacher and student of the year

3:21pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Staff reporter

Sky Sports Living for Sport has launched the Sky Sports Living for Sport 2012 Awards and invites nominations from secondary school teachers across the South West and the UK.

The awards, which have two categories: Student of the Year and Teacher of the Year, celebrate the successful way secondary schools across the South West are using sport to inspire young people, thanks to their involvement in Sky Sports Living for Sport.

New to the 2012 Awards is a School of the Decade award. Chosen by the judges, this award recognises the outstanding success of a school that over the past 10 years has used Sky Sports Living for Sport to motive, inspire and enhance students’ life skills and attainment.

This year sees the 10th Anniversary of Sky Sports Living for Sport (www.skysports.com/livingforsport) which is delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, using sport stars and sport skills to improve the lives of thousands of young people in secondary schools in the South West and across the UK. The key areas of focus for the initiative are: self-confidence and self-esteem, attainment and achievement, health and wellbeing, and encouraging pupils to reach their full potential.

The awards offer schools in the South West, which have registered and delivered a Sky Sports Living for Sport project this academic year, the chance to bring to light their sporting journeys and share their stories of success.

Olympic gold medal winning sprinter and Sky Sports Living for Sport Ambassador, Darren Campbell MBE, will lead the judging panel to help decide this year’s 12 student regional finalists. The chosen finalists will all be invited to attend a prestigious awards ceremony in early 2013 where the overall UK student winner will be crowned.

Campbell said: “Visiting schools I’ve seen for myself how much of an impact Sky Sports Living for Sport is having across the UK. It’s incredible to watch how students’ attitudes can shift through a single session and how belief in themselves and their abilities can be transformed. I am particularly delighted that the awards will continue to recognise the efforts of teachers in successfully delivering Sky Sports Living for Sport projects.

“This year more schools than ever before have signed up for Sky Sports Living for Sport, which means my job on the judging panel is going to be even harder! It is always fantastic to see the hard work going on in schools around the country to motivate students through sport and I am thoroughly looking forward to helping select our regional and UK winners.”

The regional finalists will each receive a £50 sports voucher, a year’s free Sky Sports subscription for the student and school, a trophy and certificate, as well as the chance to be interviewed by a Sky Sports film crew. The school will also secure an extra visit from an Athlete Mentor and £500 towards their next Sky Sports Living for Sport project. All regional finalists and their teachers will be invited to attend the Awards ceremony where the overall UK winner will be announced.

In addition to the finalist prizes, the Student of the Year 2012 will receive a £100 sports voucher. His or her school will also secure an extra visit from an Athlete Mentor and £2,000 towards their school’s next Sky Sports Living for Sport project.

The Teacher of the Year 2012 and two runner-ups will win £2,000 and £1,000 respectively towards their school’s next project. In addition, all three Teacher of the Year finalists will each receive a year’s free Sky Sports subscription, a trophy and certificate.

To nominate students and teachers, all teachers need to do is go to www.skysports.com/livingforsport and download the application form. Successful finalists will be notified during the Autumn 2012 term. Schools that have not yet completed their 2011-12 Sky Sports Living for Sport projects still have time to do so and enter the competition.