This year’s Young Geographer of the Year competition was an opportunity for geography pupils to explore why Antarctica matters. The winning and highly commended students were announced on Friday, at a ceremony at the Society’s headquarters in Kensington, London.
To celebrate the centenary of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition, pupils nationwide were asked to respond to the question ‘Why does Antarctica matter?’ Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and GCSE pupils submitted posters, while A Level students were asked to write 1,500 word essays, which could include illustrations, maps and graphs.
Friday also saw the re-launch of the Discovering Antarctica website, produced jointly by the Society, the British Antarctic Survey, the British Antarctic Territory and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which includes primary, secondary and A Level resources on Antarctica.
The awards were presented by Jane Rumble (Deputy Commissioner of the British Antarctic Territory), and Dr John Shears (Scott Polar Research Institute).
The overall category winners were:
- 9-11 years: Catherine James, The Lady Eleanor Holles School
- 11-14 years: Molly Hughes, Balcarras School
- 14-16 years: Katie Banks, Millais School
- 16-18 years: Daniel Vaughan, Colyton Grammar School
Steve Brace, Head of Education and Outdoor Learning at the Society, said:
“The competition winners have really underscored why Antarctica is still so important today. Some have focused on its world-leading science, or its unique biodiversity and landscapes, while others have explored its fascinating history and modern governance. It’s truly a location that inspires people with wonder at the natural world and that’s why it’s so good to see the next generation of geographers recognising its value.”
The Society also announced the winner of this year’s Rex Walford Award for new or student teachers. Fiona Tremelling, from Windsor Girls’ School, was judged to have produced the best set of teaching resources linked to this year’s Young Geographer of the Year competition question.
The competition is run by the Society alongside Geographical Magazine and kindly supported by the British Antarctic Territory, Esri UK, Ordnance Survey, Stanfords, Philip’s and Cotswold Outdoors.