The UK Rock Challenge was the British arm of the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. The Rock Challenge was an anti-drug and crime-prevention event that took the form of a friendly performing arts competition for schools and colleges. Originating in Australia in the 1980s, it reached the United Kingdom after inspector Mark Pontin of Hampshire saw it in 1995 and was so impressed that he persuaded Hampshire's constabulary to form a joint venture with Tony Barron, chairman of the Hampshire Education Committee and Peter Coles, UK Rock Challenge's chief executive. Together, they introduced it in Hampshire and found joint funding to support it.
The first UK event took place in Portsmouth Guildhall in Portsmouth in 1996 and involved 11 schools and around 750 young people. Rock Challenge then expanded into many additional areas across the UK. In 2016, there were 49 days of events. The event stopped abruptly in 2019.
The event
The premise of the Rock Challenge is that each school puts together an 8-minute dance and drama production on a theme of their choice set to a soundtrack of commercially available music. Over the course of months/weeks schools create their production and finally bring it to an event day held at a professional venue where they spend the day rehearsing and preparing for an evening show where parents, peers, community members, and invited guests attend. During the evening, a panel of judges give verbal feedback on each performance and also score each piece based on strict criteria. Performances are judged on:
Performance Judge
Marks:
Choreography (out of 10)
Performance Skill (out of 10)
Soundtrack (out of 10)
Production Judge
Marks:
Hair and Make-up (out of 10)
Costume (out of 10)
Lighting (out of 10)
Drama and Design Judge
Marks:
Drama (out of 10)
Set Design and Function (out of 10)
Concept (out of 10)
Each judge also gives the performance a mark for 'Overall Impact' out of 5.
At the end of the evening, a prize ceremony is held where a number of awards are presented along with the announcement of the top-scoring schools.
The Rock Challenge message
The core message of the Be Your Best Rock Challenge is to show young people how they can achieve a 'natural high' on life rather than with the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco - the concept is that through participation in the event at a professional venue with a professional production and technical crew, the students are helped in the belief that they can achieve a high on life rather than relying on substances. This is emphasised during the event where everyone is warned that if anyone is caught smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol the individual/s concerned will be asked to leave and their team will be deducted two overall ranking places (making it impossible for them to win or go further in the competition).
Participation in the Rock Challenge has shown to have many positive effects on participants, schools, and communities, including:[1][2][3]
Self-esteem
Teamwork skills
Anti-social behaviour
Truancy rates
Curriculum links
Teacher-student relations
School-community relations
Concept, history and Australian origins
Rock Challenge has been running in the UK since 1996 (see above) and has been running as the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge in Australia since 1980 (see History in Rock Eisteddfod Challenge page) and has reached out across the world to New Zealand (Stage Challenge), Japan (Rock Challenge Japan), Germany, South Africa (ARA Be Your Best Rock Challenge) and UAE (set up by the British Be Your Best Rock Challenge). Rock Challenge also had a short and small stay in the US, but there has been no known activity since the confirmation of two events for 2004.
Just like in the UK, since its inception in Australia the events have grown in popularity, so much that the National Finals are shown on the Nine Network over a period of weeks on a Saturday Morning (after being previously recorded live). This television coverage has been happening since the early 1990s, but since the UK launch in 1996 it still does not have any major media coverage there.
The most famous participant of Rock Challenge in the UK was the actress Emma Watson from the Harry Potter franchise. She participated twice, once in 2006 and once as the Rock Challenge leader in 2007 with her school in Oxford.
Competition format
Rock Challenge is split into 2 age brackets:
J Rock
J Rock started in the UK in 2005 for participants aged 7–11. Many J Rock events are not full competitions based on the desires of the local schools and sponsors.
Rock Challenge
Rock Challenge is for participants aged 11–18. As of 2004, Rock Challenge has been split into 2 competition divisions; the Open and the Premier divisions:
In the 'Open' Division:
Open Division schools take part in heats across the country. Schools that win their heat (plus many that place 2nd) progress to the Regional Open Grand Final (North or South depending on the heat location).
Due to the increasing number of teams entering, there are 2 Open Grand Finals ('A' and 'B') for each region.
In most cases each Open Grand Final winner (and one of the schools that places second) is promoted to the Premier Division for the following year (if one of the Premier Division schools chooses not to participate in any given year, their Premier Final space may be awarded to the other school that places 2nd at the Open Grand Final or possibly the school that placed 3rd behind the 2nd place promoted school).
Throughout the heats and finals, schools also compete for awards which merit the teams' performances in certain aspects of the piece - these range from hair and make up to video performance.
In the 'Premier' Division:
In each region there are 12 Premier Division schools in any given year.
In the majority of cases, Premier schools are required to showcase their performance before competing at the Regional Premier Grand Final.
Premier schools compete against each other in the region's Premier Grand Final where they will compete for ranking places and awards (as per the Open Division).
To remain in the Premier Division, schools are required to place in the top nine at the Regional Final, which, added together with the winners and runners-up from the Open Grand Finals, gives you the Premier Schools for the following year.
From 2007, National Awards have also been awarded, judged nationally by a panel of judges new and independent from those at the live events, announcing each division's top schools for each criterion.
Scottish Grand Final
As of 2012, schools participating in Scottish events will compete at heats for a place in the Scottish Grand Final held in Dundee. Should a school win the Scottish Grand Final two years in succession they will be given the option of competing in the Northern Region Premier Division for the following year. Should a school win the Scottish Grand Final three years in succession they will be automatically moved into the Northern Region Premier Grand Final for the following year.
National Grand Final
In 2009 the UK's first National Grand Final was held at the Sheffield Arena. This consisted of the top 5 schools from each Premier Final along with the top scoring first place from the Open finals (one from the North and one from the South) giving twelve schools: Sandown High School from Sandown, Isle of Wight won this event with their performance 'Cursed' after winning their Open Grand Final.
In 2012 the second UK Rock Challenge National Grand Final was held at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes: Kings Langley School, Hertfordshire won this event with their performance entitled 'Swift as a shadow short as any dream.'.
Events and venues
Since 1996, the Tour has been to many venues around the country and as Rock Challenge has become larger, so have the venues. Even just in the first year it grew from one night and one event to 8 venues and 11 nights.
With the planned National Grand Final, it would bring the biggest ever venue ever used by the Rock Challenge team in the UK, The Sheffield Arena with a capacity up to 12,500 seated (downgraded to 4000 seats for Final).
As of 2012 the events will have taken place in the following towns/cities across the UK:
Since its inception in 1996, many UK Rock Challenge events have taken place up and down the nation; below is a full chronological list of results (announced places) from the first event to the present day:
1996
1996 Be Your Best Rock Challenge
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Hampton Tryst Performers’ Performers Award Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Award for Best Set Design and Staging Hampshire Training and Enterprise Council Award for Student Leadership
Best Hair and Make-up Hampshire Training and Enterprise Council Award for Student Leadership Southampton and SW Hampshire DAT Award for Achievement in Drug Awareness
Osborne Middle School, East Cowes, Isle of Wight
Millennium Dance
Hampshire Probation Service Award for Best Costume Design Gosport Borough Council Award for Best Choreography
Best Soundtrack Southampton City Council Award for Best Concept Hampshire Constabulary Award for Best Stage Crew Daihatsu Award for Best Lighting Design
Best Soundtrack Portsmouth Safer Cities Award for Best Drama Skills Hampshire Training and Enterprise Council Award for Student Leadership Hampshire Constabulary Award for Best Stage Crew
1998 Get Real Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day Two Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire Tuesday, 10 March
Portsmouth Safer Cities Award for Best Drama Skills Best Set Design and Staging Portsmouth and South East Hampshire DAT Award for Achievement in Drug Awareness
BT Award for Most Entertaining Performance Best Choreography
St Luke's School, Southsea, Hampshire
Title unknown
Best Hair and Make-up Hampton Trust Performers’ Performers Award Portsmouth City Council Award for Best Concept Hampshire Constabulary Award for Best Stage Crew
Foundation for Sport and the Arts Award for Best Choreography Producer's Award for Student Leadership Hull and East Riding DAT Award for Achievement in Drug Awareness
Sydney Smith School, Hull
Theme unknown
Best Costume Design Humberside Police Award for Best Stage Crew
1998 Be Your Best The Pulse Leeds Rock Challenge Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds, West Yorkshire Friday, 20 March
1999 Get Real Be Your Best Power FM Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day One
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Monday 1 February
1st Place Cowes High School, Cowes, Isle of Wight 2nd Place
Park Community School, Leigh Park, Hampshire 3rd Place
Staunton Park Community School, Havant, Hampshire
1999 Get Real Be Your Best Power FM Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day Two
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Tuesday 2 February
1999 Be Your Best London Rock Challenge
Drury Lane Theatre, London
Sunday 7 February
1st Place
Peers Technology College, Oxford, Oxfordshire - The Lost Ones Joint 2nd Place The Misbourne School, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire Joint 2nd Place Crickhowell High School, Crickhowell, Powys
1999 Be Your Best Reading Rock Challenge
The Hexagon, Reading, Berkshire
Monday 8 February
1999 Be Your Best Fox FM Oxford Rock Challenge Day One
The Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Tuesday 9 February
1st Place The Misbourne School, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire - UHF 2nd Place
Peers Technology College, Oxford, Oxfordshire 3rd Place Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
1999 Be Your Best Fox FM Oxford Rock Challenge Day Two
The Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Wednesday 10 February
1999 Get Real Be Your Best Power FM Southampton Rock Challenge
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Thursday 25 February
1st Place
Osborne Middle School, East Cowes, Isle of Wight 2nd Place Wildern School Seniors, Hedge End, Hampshire 3rd Place Cantell Secondary School, Southampton, Hampshire - It's Just an Illusion
1999 Lifestyle Viking FM Be Your Best Hull Rock Challenge
Hull City Hall, Hull
Monday 1 March
1999 On the Beat Galaxy 102 Be Your Best Manchester Rock Challenge
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Tuesday 16 March
1st Place
Astley St Mary's School, Astley, Manchester 2nd Place
George Tomlinson School, Kearsley, Bolton 3rd Place Stainburn School, Workington, Cumbria
1999 Be Your Best Downtown Radio Belfast Rock Challenge
Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Thursday 18 March
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School Belfast 2nd Place
Our Lady of Mercy School, Belfast 3rd Place
St Joseph's School, Belfast
1999 Be Your Best The Pulse Bradford Rock Challenge
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Monday 22 March
1999 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Grand Final
Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Thursday 24 March
1st Place
South Hunsley School, Melton, East Riding of Yorkshire 2nd Place Woldgate School, Pocklington, East Riding of Yorkshire 3rd Place Driffield School, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire
1999 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Southern Grand Final
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Saturday 26 March
1st Place Cantell Secondary School, Southampton, Hampshire - It's Just An Illusion 2nd Place King Richard School, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Smash the Camera 3rd Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast
2000
2000 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day One
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Monday 28 February
1st Place Cowes High School, Cowes, Isle of Wight 2nd Place King Richard School, Portsmouth, Hampshire 3rd Place
Crookhorn Community School, Waterlooville, Hampshire
2000 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day Two
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Tuesday 29 February
2000 Be Your Best Oxford Rock Challenge
Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Monday 13 March
1st Place
Peers Technology College, Oxford, Oxfordshire 2nd Place
Lord William's School, Thame, Oxfordshire 3rd Place
Sir William Ramsay School, Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
2000 Be Your Best Basingstoke Rock Challenge
The Anvil, Basingstoke, Hampshire
Thursday 16 March
1st Place
Wavell School, Farnborough, Hampshire - Hooray for Hollywood 2nd Place Misbourne School, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire 3rd Place
St Sampson's School, St Sampson's, Guernsey
2000 Lifestyle Be Your Best Hull Rock Challenge
Hull New Theatre, Hull
Monday 20 March
2000 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day Two
St George's Theatre, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Thursday 30 March
1st Place City of Leeds School, Leeds, West Yorkshire 2nd Place
Thornton Grammar School, Leeds, West Yorkshire 3rd Place Stainburn School, Workington, Cumbria
2000 Be Your Best Belfast Rock Challenge
Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Thursday 13 April
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast 2nd Place
Our Lady of Mercy High School, Belfast 3rd Place
Newbridge Integrated College, Banbridge, County Down
2000 Be Your Best Milton Keynes Rock Challenge
Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Wednesday 3 May
1st Place Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 2nd Place Aylesbury High School, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire 3rd Place
Lord William's School, Thame, Oxfordshire
2000 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Grand Final
Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast 2nd Place Driffield School, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire 3rd Place Ralph Thoresby High School, Leeds, West Yorkshire
2000 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Southern Grand Final
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
1st Place Crickhowell High School, Crickhowell, Powys - Actions Speak Louder 2nd Place Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 3rd Place
Wavell School, Farnborough, Hampshire - Hooray for Hollywood
2001
2001 Be Your Best Bournemouth Rock Challenge
Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset
Monday 26 February
1st Place Corfe Hills School, Poole, Dorset - It's a Media World 2nd Place Oakmead College of Technology, Bournemouth, Dorset - Mission Impossible 3 3rd Place
The Blandford School, Blandford Forum, Dorset - Mystical Fantasy
2001 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day One
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Thursday 1 March
2001 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day Two
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Friday 2 March
1st Place Court Moor School, Fleet, Hampshire - A Better Way - Look To The Future 2nd Place
Lycee 1er Francois, Le Havre, France - Angel? 3rd Place Wildern School Juniors, Hedge End, Hampshire - Popcorn
2001 Be Your Best Oxford Rock Challenge Day One
Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Wednesday 7 March
1st Place Stantonbury Campus, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - Take the Bull by the Horns 2nd Place Lord Grey School, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire - Out of the Light 3rd Place Crickhowell High School, Crickhowell, Powys - Carpe Diem - Seize the Moment
2001 Be Your Best Oxford Rock Challenge Day Two
Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Thursday 8 March
1st Place
Lord William's School and Chinnor Autistic Unit, Thame, Oxfordshire - The Power of Compulsion 2nd Place Abingdon College, Abingdon, Oxfordshire - Rehabilitation 3rd Place Cooper School, Bicester, Oxfordshire - Time Warp
2001 Be Your Best Hemel Hempstead Rock Challenge
Dacorum Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Wednesday 14 March
1st Place
The Wavell School, Farnborough, Hampshire - Dancing with the Missing 2nd Place John F Kennedy Catholic School, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire - Take the Power Back 3rd Place Longdean School, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire - Brave New World
2001 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day One
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Monday 19 March
1st Place
St Luke's School, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Street Life 2nd Place
Priory School, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Communication Through The Ages 3rd Place King Richard School Team One, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Are You Scared Yet?
2001 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day Two
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Tuesday 20 March
1st Place King Richard School Team Two, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Girlz In The Hood 2nd Place Mayville High School, Southsea, Hampshire - Nightmare! 3rd Place
Osborne Middle School, East Cowes, Isle of Wight - Are You Sitting Comfortably?
2001 Lifestyle Be Your Best Grimsby Rock Challenge
Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Wednesday 28 March
2001 Lifestyle Be Your Best Bridlington Rock Challenge
The Spa, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire
Friday 30 March
1st Place Driffield School, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire - A Native American Legend 2nd Place Hornsea School, Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire - Best of British 3rd Place
Merlyn Rees High School, Leeds, West Yorkshire - A Higher Level
2001 Be Your Best Belfast Rock Challenge
Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Wednesday 4 April
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast - The Sky's the Limit 2nd Place
Larkin Community College, Dublin - Garden of Life 3rd Place Belfast Model School, Belfast - Walk of Life
2001 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day One
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Tuesday 24 April
1st Place John Smeaton Community High School, Leeds, West Yorkshire - Parental Guidance 2nd Place
Copperfields College, Leeds, West Yorkshire - Descent 3rd Place
Earlsheaton Community High School, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire - The Disappeared
2001 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day Two
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Wednesday 25 April
1st Place City of Leeds School, Leeds, West Yorkshire - Alpha-Omega 2nd Place
Thornton Grammar School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - The Celebration of Creation 3rd Place Hanson School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - Nightmare
2001 Be Your Best Carlisle Rock Challenge
The Sands Centre, Carlisle, Cumbria
Friday 4 May
1st Place Stainburn School, Workington, Cumbria - High Kicking 2nd Place
Peterhead Academy, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - U.S.A. OK/No Way! 3rd Place Whitehaven School, Whitehaven, Cumbria - Silva
2001 Be Your Best Croydon Rock Challenge
Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, Surrey
Wednesday 9 May
1st Place Davison High School, Worthing, West Sussex - Outraged 2nd Place Brynmawr School, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale - War 3rd Place
St Thomas More School, West Grinstead, West Sussex - Life in London
2001 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Southern Region Grand Final
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Monday 21 May
1st Place King Richard School Team Two, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Girlz In The Hood 2nd Place
The Wavell School, Farnborough, Hampshire - Dancing with the Missing 3rd Place Davison High School, Worthing, West Sussex - Outraged
2001 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Region Grand Final
Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Saturday 26 May
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast - The Sky's the Limit 2nd Place
Thornton Grammar School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - The Celebration of Creation 3rd Place Driffield School, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire - A Native American Legend
2002
2002 Be Your Best Aberdeen Rock Challenge
Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
Wednesday 13 February
1st Place
Peterhead Academy, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - When The Boat Comes In 2nd Place Westhill Academy, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire - Tribes 3rd Place Mackie Academy, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire - The Good, The Bad and the Sixties!
2002 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day One
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Wednesday 27 February
1st Place Cowes High School, Cowes, Isle of Wight - Elemental 2nd Place
Staunton Park Community School, Havant, Hampshire - Newsflash – Teenagers out of Control! 3rd Place
Solent Middle School, Cowes, Isle of Wight - Exhibiting the Future
2002 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day Two
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Thursday 28 February
1st Place Ryde High School, Ryde, Isle of Wight - Caped Fear 2nd Place Highcliffe School Team Two, Christchurch, Dorset - Love and Rejection 3rd Place
Lycee Francois Premier, Le Havre, France - Nobody’s Perfect
2002 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day Three
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Friday 1 March
1st Place Regents Park Juniors, Southampton, Hampshire - Around the World in 8 Minutes 2nd Place Wildern School Seniors, Hedge End, Hampshire - Rodeo Rock 3rd Place
St Sampson's Secondary School, St Sampson's, Guernsey - Sweets Ain’t What They Seem To Be!
2002 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day One
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Tuesday 5 March
1st Place Crickhowell High School, Crickhowell, Powys - The Shape of Things To Come 2nd Place
Park Community School, Leigh Park, Hampshire - P.O.P (Product or People) 3rd Place King Richard School Team One, Portsmouth, Hampshire - Corrida de Toros
2002 Be Your Best Portsmouth Rock Challenge Day Two
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Wednesday 6 March
2002 Be Your Best Oxford Rock Challenge Day One
Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Thursday 7 March
1st Place Cheney School, Oxford, Oxfordshire - Dreams or Nightmares 2nd Place Headington School, Oxford, Oxfordshire - Human Cloning 3rd Place
Cranbourne School - The Rhythm Has My Soul
2002 Be Your Best Oxford Rock Challenge Day Two
Apollo Theatre, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Friday 8 March
2002 Be Your Best Crawley Rock Challenge
The Hawth Theatre, Crawley, West Sussex
Monday 11 March
1st Place Davison High School, Worthing, West Sussex - Ad Extremum 2nd Place Bognor Regis Community College, Bognor Regis, West Sussex - Hatch, Match and Despatch 3rd Place
Filsham Valley School, St Leonard's-on-Sea, East Sussex - What’s Your Talent?
2002 Be Your Best Croydon Rock Challenge
Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, Surrey
Thursday 14 March
1st Place Frogmore Community College Team B, Yateley, Hampshire - Hand of Hope 2nd Place
Wavell School, Farnborough, Hampshire - Destiny 3rd Place The Misbourne School, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire - O’mnis Saga
2002 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day One
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Tuesday 19 March
1st Place
Thornton Grammar School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - Antony and Cleopatra 2nd Place
Buttershaw High School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - The Same World - But A World Apart 3rd Place Hanson School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - One Vision
2002 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day Two
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Wednesday 20 March
1st Place
South Leeds Art College, Leeds, West Yorkshire - Dreams 2nd Place Matthew Humberstone School, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire - Don't Stop the Carnival 3rd Place
St Joseph's RC College, Bradford, West Yorkshire - Take a Trip
2002 Lifestyle Be Your Best Bridlington Rock Challenge
The Spa, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire
Friday 12 April
1st Place Hornsea School, Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire - Perseverance Pays 2nd Place Driffield School, Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire - The Fire of London 3rd Place South Hunsley School, Melton, East Riding of Yorkshire - The Chinese Years
2002 Lifestyle Be Your Best Grimsby Rock Challenge
Grimsby Auditorium, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
Monday 15 April
1st Place
Healing Comprehensive, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire - A Higher State of Innocence 2nd Place Hereford Technology School, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire - Celebrate South Africa 3rd Place Matthew Humberstone School, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire - Don't Stop the Carnival
2002 Lifestyle Be Your Best Hull Rock Challenge
Hull Ice Arena, Hull
Wednesday 17 April
1st Place
Archbishop Thurstan School, Hull - Just Be Yourself 2nd Place
Andrew Marvell School, Hull - The Time Machine 3rd Place
St Mary's College, Hull - A Woman's World
2002 Be Your Best Hemel Hempstead Rock Challenge
Dacorum Theatre, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Thursday 25 April
1st Place Kings Langley School, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire - Know Your Limits 2nd Place Vandyke Upper School, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire - Through the Eyes of a Child 3rd Place Aylesbury High School, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire - Under Pressure
2002 Be Your Best Belfast Rock Challenge
Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Monday 29 April
1st Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast - There's Only One You 2nd Place
Ballee Community High School, Ballymena, County Antrim - Get Connected 3rd Place Holy Trinity College, Cookstown, County Tyrone - Oblivion Interrupted
2002 Be Your Best Carlisle Rock Challenge
The Sands Centre, Carlisle, Cumbria
Friday 3 May
1st Place Stainburn School, Workington, Cumbria - The Power Within 2nd Place
Rhyddings High School, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire - Herstory 3rd Place Cockermouth School, Cockermouth, Cumbria - Looking for a Way Out
2002 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Southern Region Grand Final
Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Friday 17 May
2002 Be Your Best Rock Challenge Northern Region Grand Final
Barbican Centre, York
Friday 17 May
1st Place
Thornton Grammar School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - Antony and Cleopatra 2nd Place Hornsea School, Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire - Perseverance Pays 3rd Place
Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast - There's Only One You
2003
2003 Be Your Best Aberdeen Rock Challenge
Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
Thursday 13 February
1st Place
Torry Academy, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire - Choose Life 2nd Place
Peterhead Academy, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire - G.M. 3rd Place Oldmachar Academy, Bridge of Don, Aberdeenshire - Sounds Like Teen Spirit
2003 Be Your Best Bournemouth Rock Challenge
Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset
Monday 3 March
2003 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day One
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Wednesday 5 March
1st Place
Barton Peveril College, Eastleigh, Hampshire - Freedom of Expression 2nd Place
Lycee Francois Premier, Le Havre, France - The One Who Stole the Light 3rd Place St Vincent College, Gosport, Hampshire - Adverts Reaction
2003 Be Your Best Southampton Rock Challenge Day Two
Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire
Thursday 6 March
2003 Be Your Best Crawley Rock Challenge Day Two
The Hawth, Crawley, West Sussex
Tuesday 11 March
1st Place Tideway School, Newhaven, East Sussex - Splish Splash 2nd Place
Bexhill High School, Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex - Unknown Destiny 3rd Place
Filsham Valley School, St Leonard's-on-Sea, East Sussex - Where 2 Now?
2003 Be Your Best Croydon Rock Challenge
Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon, Surrey
Thursday 13 March
2003 Be Your Best Bradford Rock Challenge Day One
St George's Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Wednesday 19 March
1st Place
South Leeds Arts College, Leeds, West Yorkshire - Elements of Power 2nd Place
Buttershaw High School, Bradford, West Yorkshire - Enigma 3rd Place
Earlsheaton High School, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire - Street Harmony
2018
The National Final of the 2018 Tour was held in Rotherham on 14 July.
First place was awarded to LeAF Studio, Bournemouth, with their theme 'Through Innocent Eyes', a take on the story of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and offered education on the events of the Holocaust through performance. The finale of their 8-minute performance saw scenery close in front of students, revealing harrowing numbers of those killed in concentration camps based on their citizenship, faith or sexual orientation, and the message 'DIFFERENCES SHOULD NOT DIVIDE US'.
^Rose Grunstein, Don Nutbeam, (2007) "The impact of participation in the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge on adolescent resiliency and health behaviours", Health Education, Vol. 107 Iss: 3, pp.261 - 275
^Murphy, S., Salmon, D., Orme, J., Jones, M. and Kimberlee, R. (2004) The Rock Challenge: An evaluation of a drug prevention and performing arts programme. External Report.
