PUPILS from Stanwell School have scooped two awards in a national journalism competition.

A special panel of judges studied the journalistic work of students from secondary schools across Wales as part of Keep Wales Tidy's Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) competition 2014.

Pupils from Stanwell School were winners in the 15-18 year old Written Report Mobile Phones- The Hidden Cost and Video Report - Traffic categories.

Huw Edwards, a BAFTA award winning journalist and member of the YRE judging panel, said:

“Young Reporters for the Environment is a great opportunity for young people in Wales to sample the world of journalism while exploring the issues that impact on Wales’ environment.”

Young Reporters for the Environment is an international programme and competition, promoted by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which operates in 27 countries throughout the world.

In Wales, the programme is managed by Keep Wales Tidy and funded by Natural Resources Wales.

YRE provides secondary school pupils with a vision of the professional world of journalism, while giving them the opportunity to explore and report on environmental issues that affect Wales.

Editor of South Wales Evening Post and YRE judge, Jonathan Roberts, said:

“Environmental issues dominate today’s news agenda in Wales as much as the rest of the world. This competition provides aspiring journalists with plenty of scope to demonstrate their ability to research, develop and present their story.”

Students had the chance to submit their investigation entries as written, photographic or video media.

Deadline for submission was March 31, with the Welsh panel meeting on Thursday, April 10, at the Keep Wales Tidy Cardiff office to discuss the shortlisted entries.

The 2014 judging panel included award winning Welsh journalist, presenter and newsreader, Huw Edwards, Editor of the South Wales Evening Post, Jonathan Roberts, Gill Bilsborough from Natural Resources Wales, writer, Lyn Owen, Richard Cain from Welsh Country Magazine, BBC researcher Catherine Roper, Copywriter and journalist, James Daniel and third year media student Sophie Lee.

The panel was chaired by KWT board member, Olwen Moseley.

This year’s Welsh winners are:

Age 11-14 Written Report Coedcae Comprehensive School: Put a stop to flooding in Llanelli

Age 11-14 Video Report Cowbridge Comprehensive School: Litter Clean-Up

Age 15-18 Written Report Stanwell School: Mobile Phones- The Hidden Cost

Age 15-18 Video Report Stanwell School: Traffic

Some runners up include a report on the use of fracking by Bassaleg Comprehensive in Newport, a Welsh language video on Snowdonia National Park by Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen and a newsletter on tackling litter by Caldicot Comprehensive.

The winners will not only have their work displayed on the KWT website and as Royal Welsh Show exhibits, they will also be entered into the YRE international competition in May for the chance to claim world-wide recognition of their work. Wales has been successful on the world stage in the past, securing international winners in 2011 and 2012.

Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, Lesley Jones, added:

“Young Reporters for the Environment celebrates talented young people who express a passion for protecting our planet. The winning articles are an inspiration for us all as we work together to achieve a sustainable future.”