The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at SCEGGS

Hiking during the shoulder season – a mix of summer sun and autumn rain!

This time of the year the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Expeditions become tougher, as the cooler weather and shorter days produce testing conditions and practical limitations. Fortunately, our students at SCEGGS have the attitudes and enthusiasm to overcome these drawbacks, and so often impress us with their positive frame of mind, ability to deal with problems, and unity when overpowering adversity.

Over the holidays we successfully ran two Gold expeditions- in the Blue Mountains in the first week, and around the Hawkesbury in the second. As noted earlier, completing expeditions this time of year is a little harder due to the cooler temperatures, especially when combined with dampness and wind, though sensible clothing and strategies help mitigate chilliness during the day, and a crackling campfire helps keep the cold at bay in the evening. Both expeditions were menaced by rainy weather, though never enough to contemplate surrender, and all the candidates finished with great memories and a sense of contented achievement.

We have several Silver and Bronze Award expeditions scheduled between now and the end of term, so are beseeching the weather spirits to provide us with dry and mild conditions. Candidates should remember to sign up early, be involved with their trip planning, and resolve all issues and problems well before their hike.

We urge the girls to stay motivated with their Service, Skill and Recreation components, so that when an opportunity arrives to complete an Expedition they will be able to finish off their Award without delay. It’s very heartening to see that quite a few of the year twelve’s have submitted their completed award, leaving the rest of the year free for them to focus on their HSC exams.

Should there be any further questions or problems with your Award, please feel free to catch Ms Bower or Mr Swain around school, via email , or checking the website, or the SCEGGS Duke of Edinburgh resources on Cognito.

Joanne Bower and Doric Swain
Duke of Edinburgh Award Co-ordinators