Amnesty International UK today announced the shortlist for the 2012 Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year.

This year’s competition attracted over 3,000 participants from 150 different schools from all four corners of the United Kingdom.

The competition is run in conjunction with Amnesty’s long-standing partners: The Guardian Teacher Network, and SecEd, the Secondary School education weekly.

There were four different categories: Upper Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Sixth Form.

The 12 students shortlisted are:

Upper Primary

• Aine Clarke, 11, from Newport Primary School, Newport, Scotland
• Emmet Carry Fennessy, 9, from St Georges RC Primary School, Enfield, Middlesex.
• Lorna Williamson, 11, from Bablake Junior School, Coventry

Lower Secondary

• Georgia Gilholy, 13, from Paget High School, Burton-upon-Trent
• Alice Reynolds, 13, from The Royal School, Haslemere, Surrey
• Francesca Talbot, 14, from Benton Park School, Rawdon, Leeds

Upper Secondary

• Heather Booton, 16, from Skipton Girls’ High School, Skipton
• Oscar Hutchings, 14, from Wellsway School, Keynsham, near Bath
• Ciara McKay, 16, from St Andrews Academy, Paisley

Sixth Form

• Alice Woodhouse, 16, from Kings High School, Warwick
• Stephanie Gabbatt, 17, from Bolton School Girls’ Division, Bolton
• Beth Rowland, 17, from Bablake School, Coventry

Kate Allen, Director of Amnesty International UK, said:
“Journalists play such an important role in exposing human rights abuses and it is inspiring to see so many Children's rights and young people taking an active interest in human rights.”

The two lower age categories were asked to write between 200 and 250 words and were judged by a panel of editors, authors and industry professionals including Guardian writer Joseph Harker, award-winning author Kathryn Cave and the 2011 Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year Angus Kirk.

The other two age categories were asked to write an article up to 500 words in length. Their judges included the highly respected Guardian journalist Ian Cobain and renowned author Anna Perera.

The winners of each of the four categories will be announced at a prestigious ceremony on 9 May 2012 at Amnesty International UK’s London headquarters.