By Sarah Robinson

Published at 11:08, Thursday, 10 May 2012

WEST Lakes Academy pupils have been crowned champions of Cumbria’s Rock Challenge competition.

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They showcased their talents at the final last Friday alongside schools from across the county. Pupils from St Benedict’s School and Millom School also took to the Sands Centre stage to each perform a unique routine of music, dance and drama.

All three schools were presented with awards on the night for creative flair, leadership and performance skills.

Deborah Brown, head of drama at West Lakes Academy, said pupils gave a performance of ‘Hide in the Darkness and Seek the Light’, a musical piece based on the C.S Lewis classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

There were 74 performers on stage with 36 students taking backstage roles, including hair and make-up. The academy won three awards for performance skills, performance choice and costume design.

Miss Brown said: “We started auditioning in September, we had over 10 per cent of pupils applying for the performance.”

This is the third year the academy has performed at the event. Students will now go to the open northern final in Grimsby on June 22.

Millom School pupils have taken part in the challenge for the first time. Their performance was based on the them of ‘Dreaming is Believing’.

Pupils gained three awards in the competition, the award for student leadership was won by Jack Pattinson, Year 11 student, who co- ordinated the whole project and has worked with fellow students over the past 18 months to bring Millom’s entry to the stage. The school also gained awards for the Cumbria Community Safety Award for Soundtrack and the TEGA award for lighting design.

Ian Smith, head teacher, said: “Rock Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talents of Millom School students. It was an immense pleasure to sit in the auditorium in Carlisle and watch our students perform at a large venue.”

At St Benedict’s School, around 60 pupils took to the stage to give a performance, Lux Mundi, based on the novel The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau.

Nichola Skillen, performing arts teacher, said the pupils won two awards for the best hair design and best concept originality. “We are so well supported by ex-students and parents who give up their time to help.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk