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10:59am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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YOUNGSTERS who have taken part in a volunteering scheme to help the local community are in line for an award.

Children at New Earswick Primary School have had their project put forward for the York Community Pride awards in the Best Primary School category.

Carole Farrar, the school's head teacher, introduced a pupil volunteering scheme in September 2007. She wanted youngsters at the school to have an opportunity to make a positive contribution to their community.

Pupils at the school help out through fundraising for charity, volunteering inside the school, such as helping out in the school cafeteria and through being on the "board" of the specially-elected school volunteering committee.

Their hard work is rewarded at the end of the year with bronze, silver and gold medals, relating to how much volunteering they have done.

Stuart Starr, a governor at the school, who nominated the project, said: "The scheme Miss Farrar has devised aims to support children's personal, social and citizenship education and development.

"Children are offered the opportunity to apply to join the volunteering project, stating why they think they will make a good volunteer. They are then issued with a special card, on which they collect stars. Stars are issued for different types of volunteering, including activities outside school.

"For instance, contributing to a charity can earn a bronze star, serving food regularly at lunchtimes would earn a silver star and being a school council member would earn a gold star. At the end of the school year, children are then awarded with bronze, silver or gold medals depending on how well they have done."

Mr Starr said Miss Farrar was "very keen" to show how volunteering is a good idea and how it benefits the children as individuals, as well as the children, and, moreover, the wider community.

He said: "In the longer term, Miss Farrar hopes the scheme will help young people in New Earswick learn about commitment, responsibility and reliability and so develop important life skills that will be of benefit to the children in the future and, moreover, to the school and wider community."

* If you think your school has a project worthy of being considered we would love to hear from you. To nominate, please fill in the entry form (link below). Send the entry form, with a supporting statement and a picture, to Community Pride Awards, Paula Homer, The Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Alternatively, email us at editor@thepress.co.uk