Schools | Science

15 Sep 09

This winning entry by Poppy Simonson, 15, will become a plinth for a new commemorative plaque outside the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

The winner of the Darwin Award was announced at a special event last night at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Fifteen-year-old Poppy Simonson from St. Helen and St. Katharine School took the top prize and will see her design carved into a one metre high plinth outside the Museum.

However the standard of entries was extremely high and the runners up – Emma Thorpe, 14, of Banbury School, a joint submission by 12 and 13 year olds from The Henry Box School, and Shannon Draisey, 14, of Cheney School – came a very close second. Particular commendation went to The Oxford Academy who showed a wide and creative interpretation of the brief.

Judge and artist Tania Kovats said: 'The winner had to offer a simple solution – Darwin’s idea is simple but with enormous significance. Similarly the plinth should be a simple and elegant solution – like evolutionary thinking.'

Of Poppy’s design, one of the judges, sculptor Alec Peever, said: 'This design was well researched and beautifully made. Its simple and elegant design will allow it to translate smoothly into a surface design.'

Director of the Museum, Professor Jim Kennedy, who was also on the judging panel, added: 'The inclusion of finches into the design referred to Darwin’s research in the Galapagos while the fish designs on the base and plant forms on the top echoed the O’Shea carving in the Museum.'

As a part of the bicentenary celebrations for Charles Darwin, the Museum plans to erect a limestone plaque in his honour. It will commemorate The Great Debate of 1860, which took place there. The plaque, which will be mounted permanently on the new plinth, will stand in a prime position outside the Museum.

Secondary schools in the Oxford area were invited to submit designs to decorate three sides of the Darwin plinth, keeping it in the style of the Museum but reflecting Darwin’s work. There were 58 entries from 16 schools across the county. The judges felt the submissions were of a particularly high standard representing hours of student work and teacher encouragement.

All entrants were invited to last night’s event where the winner and runners up were announced.

Of Emma Thorpe’s design, Art Education Officer Adrian Brooks said: 'Emma’s is a carefully crafted submission in which the three sides of the plinth balance and complement each other in a very pleasing way.'

Of the entry from The Henry Box School, Tania Kovats said: 'This is a well composed and simple design, it has a successfully light touch and elegant combination of text and image.'

Isobel Hughes, Oxford University's Head of Building Conservation, praised runner-up Shannon Draisey's entry: 'This piece is a delightful design and will allow the viewer to explore the diversity of the natural world. The organization of the piece also reflects the organization of Darwin’s thinking.'

The runners up will receive certificates and their final design mounted and framed.

As the winner, Poppy will visit the studio to see the work in progress before the plinth is finally laid in place. She will also receive a prize of £200 and two framed photographs of the plinth in place outside the museum, one for herself the other for the school, as well as books for her school and her final design framed.