Highland school pupils are reaching for the stars as part of this year's national celebration of Highland culture.

An exciting competition to name the new Highland Constellation created for Highland 2007, Scotland's Year of Highland Culture, was launched at Cawdor Castle yesterday (Sunday 10 June).

The Highland Constellation team, Linda Cracknell (writer), Gill Russell (artist and astronomer), and Rachel Hazell (bookbinder), have been running workshops in schools throughout the Highlands over the past month to identify the seven stars which make up the new constellation.

The schools who took part were: 

• Cawdor Primary School 
• Brora Primary School 
• Ullapool High School 
• Portree and Broadford Primary Schools 
• Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin Primary Schools 
• Plockton High School 
• Muirtown Primary School group

Each area chose a star which relates to the heritage of their area, based on its distance in light years from the earth – to see the stars chosen and the link to each area visit http://www.darkskyscotland.org.uk/constellation/  and see the schools progress page.

Pupils took part in the project through the Highland Promise - An Gealladh Mòr, a pledge to young people in schools within The Highland Council area that as part of Highland 2007 they will have the opportunity to take part in cultural activities they might not otherwise have access to.

Gill Russell will now run a series of workshops around these schools to assist the pupils with the naming competition. The closing date for entries is June 29, with the winning suggestion selected by July 6.

The winner will receive a trip to the Royal Observatory Edinburgh with two runners up also receiving ‘star’ prizes.

Pamela Conacher, Highland Constellation project co-ordinator, said: “The Star Team has done a wonderful job in bringing together art, astronomy, writing and bookbinding during their tour of the Highlands. Their quest to find a new constellation for 2007 has succeeded and I am sure the new name will be equally as exciting to find!’’

Fiona Hampton, director of Highland 2007, added: “It is fantastic to see the different choices each of the schools have made linking specific stars to their own area and events in history. The effort put in by the children has been great and I look forward to finding out what the name of the new Constellation marking this year of celebration will be.

“The Highland Promise - An Gealladh Mòr has provided young people throughout the Highlands with wonderful opportunities to take part in many terrific events and projects. The support of national agencies such as the Scottish Arts Council and the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, amongst many others, has made this possible.”

The project will continue throughout the summer with the stories linked to the choice of stars being bound by Rachel, Gill taking up her residency to create her new land art in Glenuig and Linda running adult workshops and completing her own writing.

Rachel will visit all the schools again in September to hold bookbinding workshops.

The results of all the work as part of the Highland Constellation project will be shown at a closing event on November 2 and 3 in Glenuig.