Roots & Shoots Termly Awards
What are the awards?
At the end of each school term, the team at Roots & Shoots will be reviewing the Mission Updates and Mission Updates that member schools have been posting about their Roots & Shoots activities. We then give bronze, silver and gold awards to the best projects to commend your hard work. This year, we have introduced two new additional awards categories, The Jane Goodall Award for Individual Endeavour, and Best Photographic Entry.
How do I submit a project entry, has anything changed?
To submit a project for consideration, simply log-in to the Roots & Shoots website and post a story for your school. You can post as many project updates as you wish! You can see examples of previous posts in our Mission Updates section. If you are having trouble posting your story then drop us a line at info@rootsnshoots.org.uk or ring us on 020 7022 1995 and we will help you through the process of making your first post.Remember, your projects need to demonstrate how you have made a practical, positive difference to people, animals, or the environment. However, this year we have changed the entry criteria for those schools wishing to be considered for a Gold Award.Due to the continued high standard of your projects it is becoming more difficult to pick just one Gold Award winner each term. We have therefore revised the criteria for achieving Gold Award status on your projects, and from now on, your projects will need to demonstrate all three aspects of making the world better for people, animals and the environment. Bronze and Silver Awards entry criteria remain unchanged.
What are the prizes?
Bronze Award
– All schools that submit a project post will automatically be eligible for a Bronze Award certificate personalised with the details of your school.
Silver Award
– Projects that show special merit and initiative will be awarded a personalised Silver Award certificate. Both Bronze and Silver award winners will be considered for Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Annual Award and you may be invited to attend the prestigious Awards Ceremony in December.
Gold Award
- Projects that incorporate work on all three aspects of Roots & Shoots will be awarded a personalised Gold Award certificate. The schools who have submitted these projects will be automatically invited to the Roots & Shoots Annual Award Ceremony in December where students will have the opportunity to present their projects and meet Dr. Jane Goodall in person before an overall winner is announced.
New Awards Categories
Photographic Competition
– Schools are invited to submit photographs on the theme of “Making a Difference”. Each pupil can submit only one photograph and these should be emailed to admin@rootsnshoots.org.uk.By submitting a photograph to the competition you are granting The Jane Goodall Institute the right to display that photograph on our websites, in written material (including, but not exclusive to, the Roots & Shoots newsletter) and on the The Jane Goodall Institute's Flickr group.
The Jane Goodall Award for Individual Endeavour
– Nominees to have shown exceptional personal endeavour and contribution throughout a class project. The nominating teacher must be willing to submit a testimonial concerning the nominee and be willing to provide evidence, if necessary, to support this. The nominated individual will by their own efforts, have made a difference to the lives of their fellow humans, animals, and to the environment. Pupils must be nominated by the link teacher. If you would like to nominate one of your pupils for this award, please email us at admin@rootsnshoots.org.uk with full details.
Who is eligible for an award?
Any member school submitting a project for consideration is eligible. If you are not a member then you can sign up today – a relevant project your school may already be doing can then be considered for an award.
We have already received an award for a previous entry. Can we enter again?
Yes! Please continue to enter. You can tell us more about your original project – perhaps how it has evolved over the course of a year or term, or tell us about a completely different initiative.
Award Top Tips
To be eligible for a Silver or Gold Award Certificate, you will want to include the following in your activity description:
- A description of the project, why did you choose it and what success have you had?
- How does it benefit people, animals and/or the environment?
- Don’t forget to include relevant data such as visits made, items recycled, etc… so that we have some indication of the scope and scale of your project.
- Illustrate your report with photos, drawings or collages. Take a photo of your best work and upload it onto the Roots & Shoots website!
Good luck!