A STUDENT from Swan Valley Community School in Swanscombe has been nominated for a top sporting award.

Gemma Tomkinson is one of six contenders for the south east regional heat of the Sky Sports Living for Sport student of the year award after being put forward by her teachers.

The winner of the south east category will go on to the national final.

Sky Sports Living for Sport, delivered in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, uses sport to inspire all 11 to 16-year-olds to be the best they can be.

It can be used by teachers to help improve health, develop self-esteem, increase attainment and achievement and encourage young people to reach their full potential.

The schools involved have devised individually targeted activity schedules, which have given pupils the opportunity to get involved in a broad range of activities, including cycling, trampolining, athletics and dodgeball.

Olympic gold medal winning sprinter and Sky Sports Living for Sport ambassador Darren Campbell will lead the judging panel to help decide the twelve regional finalists.

He said: “I am delighted with the way teachers across the UK have responded to the opportunity to gain public recognition of their hard work.

“The strength and diversity of the nominations has been phenomenal, demonstrating how wide an impact sport can have on the lives of young people.

“With every nomination deserving recognition it isn’t going to be easy to whittle it down to 12 regional winners, let alone an overall national winner.”

The shortlist of the 12 regional finalists will be revealed at the beginning of the new term in September.

All regional finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony at Lord’s Cricket Ground in October where the national Sky Sports Living for Sport student of the year award will be presented.

Regional winners will receive £500 towards a Sky Sports Living for Sport project and an additional visit from an athlete mentor.

There is also a £50 Adidas voucher for the student and a visit from a Sky Sports film crew to their school.