Winner: St Joseph's Primary School A Community project at St Joseph's Primary School in Coundon has enriched the lives of people in the local community and improved the local environment. Pupils researched the history of Coundon and nearby Leeholme, in County Durham, for their local studies curriculum but the project had more far reaching affects. Through interviews, workshops and museum visits, the St Joseph's pupils produced a history of their community tracing its roots in Saxon times through its recent past as a mining village. Headteacher Stefa McManners said: "This project has enhanced the environment, encouraged conversation across the age range and got the community to be proud of their history, heritage and community. "Through this project, self-esteem has been raised and everyone is proud and happy with the results. --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: Hadrian Special School Children at Hadrian Special School have helped a number of charities in the last 12 months. The Newcastle special school has collected ink cartridges for the Great North Air Ambulance Appeal, come to class in fancy dress for the Richard Allan Memorial Fund and given items from their harvest festival to the People's Kitchen, the Wheatfield Nursing Home and the West End Refugee Service. Pupils also raised money for St Oswald's Hospice, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, Unicef and Children In Need. A message from pupils said: "Lots of people are very kind to us and help us at school by giving us money to buy things or by giving us equipment or gifts to use in school. "We are always very pleased when they do this but we thought it would be good for us to think about all the people we have helped over the last year or so." --------------------------------------------------------- Runner up: Thornhill School The Word is a project at Thornhill School that uses rap and hip-hop to spread an anti-racist message to schools in Sunderland. Started by chemistry teacher Amer Sheikh, former pupil Brentt (correct) Barker and current students Sophie Forster and Kudzai Chiremba, the project goes to local schools to perform for primary and secondary age children. Two shows at the Seaburn Centre in Sunderland saw more than 1,200 young people from across the region being entertained and enlightened, and the pupils were invited to perform at a school in London. Inspector Steve Kirby from Northumbria Police said: "The Seaburn Show was one of the most impressive and high impact events I have ever attended. "Coming at a time when there are social problems in some areas of the North-East, it addressed the real issues, especially racism, head on and in a manner that will make a difference." | 
Northumberland