More than 200 pupils from nine Leeds schools gathered at Leeds Civic Hall to receive their awards for completing the Stan Kenyon Annual School Challenge 2008.

The Stan Kenyon Challenge award is named after a former director of planning to mark the contribution he made to the city during over 30 years of service.

The annual challenge has a different theme each year and this year schools were asked to design an environmentally and user friendly transport system that is safe, non-polluting and fuel efficient and which will help to reduce traffic and improve the city's existing road system.

Wind power

This year's overall winner was Raynville Primary School in Bramley with a project for a new trolley bus system with a difference – the overhead electric cables would be powered by local wind farms.

The best high school project was won by East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre John Jamieson School for its project on the environmental and economic impact, reliability and safety of a new transport system for the centre of Leeds.

The best primary school award went to Pudsey Primrose Hill school for its big cycle project which included pupils cycling from Pudsey to Leeds City hall to meet the Lord Mayor of Leeds.

It also won the Lord Mayor's Trophy for community involvement.

Councillor Andrew Carter, leader of Leeds City Council and executive member with responsibility for City Development, said: "Leeds is one of the best places in the country to live but there are still improvements to be made in certain areas, one of which is the current transport system.

"I am delighted that these young people have come up with so many great ideas that could benefit all the people of Leeds by making travel safer, greener and more user friendly.

"It is a credit to the pupils, their schools and their communities that they have shown such enthusiasm and put forward such positive ideas for the future."

Councillor Ryk Downes, chairman of Metro, said: "The Stan Kenyon Challenge is a great way of getting young people involved in their local communities.

"Children are the public transport users of tomorrow and it was great to be able to talk to them about today's network and give them the opportunity to come up with their own ideas and suggestions.

"There were some interesting proposals in this year's competition which I am sure can be looked at in more detail and considered for future projects."

The Stan Kenyon Challenge award is promoted by Leeds City Council in conjunction with Sanderson Weatherall chartered surveyors.

It seeks to raise pupils' awareness of the everyday environment around them and each year children are asked to investigate a topic relevant to their local area, exploring real issues they may be able to influence.

The challenge is designed to be fun as well as educational, helping schools to deliver many of the objectives set out in the National Curriculum in real life situations.

The Winners.

Overall winner - £500, Raynville Primary School, Bramley

Best primary school - £200, Primrose Hill Primary School , Pudsey

Best high school - £200, East SILC - John Jamieson school, Oakwood

Outstanding and commended

Outstanding performance - £150, Park Spring Primary School, Pudsey

Highly commended - £100, Greenside Primary School, Pudsey

Highly commended - £100, St. Benedict's Catholic Primary School, Garforth

Highly commended - £100, Allerton High School, Moortown



Other awards

Lord Mayor's Trophy for community involvement - Primrose Hill Primary School, Pudsey

Parks and Countryside Trophy and planting - Ashfield Primary School, Otley

Rhinos shirt and two match tickets - Allerton High School, Moortown

A visit to the Grand Theatre - Park Spring Primary School, Pudsey

A visit to the City Varieties theatre - Raynville Primary School, Bramley

A visit to Temple Newsam - East SILC John Jamieson School, Oakwood

A visit to Tropical World - St. Benedict's Catholic Primary School, Garforth

A visit to Tropical World - Greenside Primary School, Pudsey .