2024 School Magazine

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award encourages young people to get involved in a wide range of activities that they are interested in and passionate about. There are four areas of the Award: Skills; Physical Recreation; Community Service; and Adventurous Journeys. Participants are recognised for showing a commitment to their activities over a concerted period of time, which motivates and challenges them to achieve their goals and develop a vast range of skills. The three Award levels—Bronze, Silver, and Gold—demand increasing time commitments. Gold Award participants undertake a Residential Project as an additional section. Sabrina Yong Gee and Saathvika Maturu (11H) took up a Residential Project through an external organisation in Rotorua, New Zealand, where they hiked with other Gold Award students, embracing a deeper understanding of nature and environmental conservation over a five-day period. Emily Fletcher’s (11M) Residential Project focused on assisting a wildlife conservation project with the Sunshine Coast Council. This year, with the support of the

Marrapatta staff and teachers from Spring Hill, the Adventurous Journeys were held during the school holidays at Lamington National Park, K’gari National Park, and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Adventurous Journeys teach invaluable life lessons, including essential survival skills like cooking, navigation, and efficient packing. These expeditions allow students to practice their teamwork and effective communication. They also help to cultivate a growth mindset and provide an opportunity for students to develop their resilience in an environment outside of the usual school setting.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award encourages students to set achievable goals for themselves. Participants often try new activities and explore new places, encouraging a keen sense of curiosity and adventure. Overall, as Student Leaders this year, the Award has provided us an opportunity to make many new friendships, learn new skills, develop our leadership and organisational skills, and has given us a really great balance to our academic studies. Emily Fletcher (11M), Ava Stafford (11R), Sabrina Yong Gee (11H) and Kelly Zhao (11H)

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