Four Highland schools are in the running to scoop prizes in the region's first ever young citizenship awards.

Organised by Careers Scotland and The Highland Council's education, culture and sport service, the Highland Citizenship Awards will be presented on Tuesday 22 June at a ceremony in the Hilton hotel, Aviemore.

The awards, which aim to promote and reward good citizenship among young people, were launched last November and attracted 25 entries from schools around the Highlands.   

Separate primary and secondary awards are up for grabs and the list of entries has been whittled down to just two schools in each category. 

Vying for the primary school prize are Cullicudden Primary on the Black Isle and Holm Primary, Inverness.  The two shortlisted secondary schools are Golspie High and Ullapool High.

Each winning school will receive £1,000, while the runners-up take away £500. 

Ian Carse of Careers Scotland praised the high standard of entries which had been submitted.

"We were very encouraged with the overall quality as well as the quantity of entries we received from teams of young people across the region," said Mr Carse. 

"As well as providing an opportunity to promote citizenship for its own sake, the awards formed a good link with other aspects of Careers Scotland's work by raising awareness of enterprise and sustainability in a new an innovative way."

The awards will be presented by Councillor Andy Anderson, chairman of The Highland Council's education, culture and sport committee.

Councillor Anderson said: "This has been a successful partnership with Careers Scotland and one which has fitted in well with a range of other projects to promote citizenship among young people in Highland schools. 

"The short-listed entries met the criteria by devising projects which were original and pupil-led.  To get this far, each school has demonstrated a sense of community and team work to develop a 21st Century approach to citizenship."