9 REFLECTION FROM OLIVIA OGSTON – CURRENT YEAR 12 STUDENT ON COMPLETING THE GOLD AWARD I have enjoyed working through the levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award over the last 4 years, even though I encountered many challenges and interruptions due to the pandemic and lockdowns. For each stage of the award, there are various activities which must be completed. They consist of Physical Education, Skill, Service, and an Adventurous Journey. I was very lucky to have had the opportunity to continue to the Gold level through my sporting community, where I could use the same skills, service and physical activity for each level. I was given the opportunity to coach, which I used as my service, referee as my skill, and play basketball as my physical activity. The Duke of Edinburgh has allowed me to become more involved in the community, for without the requirements, I would have never put my hand up to coach; but I’m so glad I did. The sporting community and the School have both supported me through to the completion of each level. If I could say anything to younger students looking to embark on the journey to complete the Silver and Gold “Duke of Ed”, I would say first of all, find ways within your own community to complete the tasks. This makes it more enjoyable as you are in an environment where you are comfortable but trying something new. Secondly, by saying “yes” to going on extra trips, the school gave me the opportunity to complete the Great Ocean Walk which turned out to be one of my favourite trips and all it took was to say “yes”. If you ever have the opportunity to complete Silver and Gold, take the opportunity. I also discovered how much I enjoy coaching and giving the girls the opportunity to enjoy a game, win or lose. REFLECTION FROM HANNAH MCLEAN – PAST STUDENT – GRADUATED IN 2017 During my high school journey, I embarked on completing the Duke of Edinburgh program, not really knowing what to expect but figuring I had nothing to lose. The requirements were clear but the options they presented were numerous which made the decision of what to choose that much more exciting. In the end, I decided to do more of the activities I was already doing, which turned out to be a very practical decision and certainly made the completion of the program much less difficult. Compared to the number of students who started the program, those who finished were in the minority which I feel gave me a distinct advantage when applying for university. Through my involvement with the Duke of Ed, I was able to secure an early entry offer to attend La Trobe University to study my preferred course. Had I not finished the program, opportunities such as this would not have been possible and, looking back on it, I really appreciate the doors that this program opened. The program gave me stories to tell in interviews and applications, and display community engagement and commitment which are both very attractive to selection panels. I was also able to continue the community volunteering that I did through the Duke of Ed even after I had completed the program. This was again incredibly beneficial to my post-school opportunities and helped me to get those jobs I didn’t even know I wanted. The program is certainly an example of “the more you give, the more you get”, and completing both the Bronze and Silver Awards contributed greatly to both my school and post-school experiences.
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