There’s a lively community buzzing around Inverkeithing High School and it’s all down to Lewis Phillips, a sixth year student.

Lewis is the driving force that has transformed communication within the school and recently beat stiff competition from teachers across the UK to win a prestigious TES Award, normally reserved for teachers, for his contribution to ICT in education.

In 2007, his first year at high school, Lewis took the opportunity to use the school’s licence for Radiowaves to start publishing content online and since then he has set up and now runs Inverkeithing High School’s Media Club. The Club is open to anyone in school and provides training for younger pupils and teachers on media creation and online promotion all centered on their vibrant Radiowaves site (www.ihs.mn). There are 300 reporters signed up to the Club, from first to sixth year pupils and they can normally be seen around school with a mic or a camera in hand to capture that next big story!

The TES awards "celebrate and reward the professionalism and flair of those teams making an outstanding contribution to schools".

Speaking of his win Lewis said: "I feel very honored and privileged to have received this Special TES Award. It is very humbling to receive acknowledgement for the work that I have done almost daily for the past five years, especially on this scale, and as the only pupil to be shortlisted.  I hope that this shows what young people are capable of achieving while inspiring and encouraging them to do bigger and better things in years to come. The whole team at Inverkeithing High School Media Network are working hard to make the coming year our best yet, and I am very excited to be working on a lot of amazing things with a variety of incredible people."

The Club recently received funding from Fife Area Budget, The Rotary Club of Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay and together with their own fundraising they have purchased an iMac, video editing equipment, cameras and printed media.  Work is also underway to refurbish an office in the school to become The Media House, a functional and inspiring operations hub for planning and meetings, editing and publishing content and workshops.  All this is in the name of sustainability to ensure that the project continues to thrive when Lewis leaves.

Lewis is no stranger to awards, having previously won the Fife Radiowaves Reporter of the year award and was also recently recognised by NAACE with a highly commended award for ICT impact (http://blog.radiowaves.co.uk/2012/02/01/what-happens-when-students-lead-the-revolution/).

The Club is a first in Fife to be run by a student and is an excellent example of how technology can enhance education and create a fun learning environment for pupils and teachers alike. This is Lewis’ last year at Inverkeithing High and sadly he will miss the Club but he is looking forward to applying the skills that he has gained from this successful project to fulfil his ambition of a career in advertising.

Congratulations to Lewis! Post your comments and messages here on s1inverkeithing