A SCHOOLGIRL has scooped a top national prize by putting pen to paper to give racism the boot.
Kelsey Graham from Coulby Newham won third prize in the prestigious annual Show Racism the Red Card (SRTRC) schools competition.
The Sunnyside Primary School pupil picked up her pens to create a poster to hammer home the anti-racism message.
Kelsey, 11, took to the pitch at Newcastle’s St James’ Park to receive her award alongside the other winners of the national competition.
She said: “I was really pleased and excited to find out I had won and the day at St James’ was really fun.
“I think it is really important to get rid of racism and I thought of my idea to show that we all need to stop.”
Kelsey was greeted by current and ex professional footballers, including Curtis Fleming, Olivier Bernard and Gary Bennett as well as taking a tour of the Newcastle FC ground.
The schoolgirl also met Sol Campbell and Charlie Hardwick, who plays Val in Emmerdale, and she won a signed Boro shirt and ball, a Show Racism the Red Card T-shirt, a ball autographed by Sol Campbell and a £25 voucher donated by The Mall shopping centre.
Kelsey was also given an enlarged copy of her poster to keep. The original was on display in the Sage at Gateshead throughout the Easter Holidays.
She was also cheered when she was rewarded for her efforts at a special school assembly, following a school football coaching session with former Boro star Curtis Fleming.
The competition was run in the school with help from Erimus Housing’s Peer Kids programme, which uses role play, poetry and art to tackle a range of issues around citizenship.
Following a Peer Kids racism workshop, schools are then urged to take part in the competition.
Mike Carr, chair of the Erimus Housing board, said: “We are thrilled Kelsey has won a national prize for her anti-racism message.
“Our Peer Kids programme teaches youngsters in schools, who may be our tenants of the future, about respecting their community and making the most of where they live.”
© Copyright 2010 Erimus Housing
