The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Don’t judge half empty glasses
Whenever I get to this mid-point of the year, I’m reminded of the cliché question “is the glass half full or half empty?”, and the consensus thinking that we should all be positive and focus on the half full that remains – there is still time, there are opportunities remaining, the potentials are not all gone. And yet I sometimes regret that this disguises the notion that the first half was wasted, of lost value. I like to appreciate that first half – on a hot day, those initial huge gulps of a cold drink are as welcome as greeting an old friend. The empty space in a glass can be rejoiced, a reminder of how well things are going.
The year so far has been a wondrous mix of hot weather and swimming, cold nights by camp fires, huge valley panoramas followed by closed-in rainforest canopy, high humidity and sea breezes, over-cooked noodles and wagyu burgers served with chips at a café at the end of a hike. There’s been some uproarious laughter hollered, some wise new insights uttered and some words of frustration were muttered. Like fossicking, there can be a lot of dirt dug for a few gems, or treasures unearthed all day – that’s the nature of hiking (and living through the teenage years.)
So, a few reminders of what’s coming up, what to expect. Firstly, winter is definitely not over, and nights will remain cold for a few more months – don’t skip on your sleeping bag or warm clothes unless you have a weather forecast that permits. Bad weather can mean an expedition gets cancelled or re-organised at the last minute, so keep an eye on emails and texts that communicate a change in venue or times. Remain flexible and agile, accepting change with an open mind and the positivity that’s required during adventure. If you have the chance to undertake an expedition, don’t waste it, as later dates can be lost to cancellations, personal injuries or unforeseen events. Carpe Diem.
As always, we ask that borrowed equipment (tents and stoves, fuel bottles) plus any items borrowed during the hike itself, be returned to Mr Swain or Ms Bower as soon as possible, preferably within two days of getting home. We usually need that gear to be re-issued later the same week. Never wash a tent, simply empty any sand or rubbish, wipe with a wet cloth if necessary, then hang out to dry. Clean the stove – inside and out (especially any soot).
Be aware that the best approach to completing your hours (for Service, Recreation and Skill) is to make a routine and stick to it. One hour per week every week is the best approach – be very stubborn about getting that hour done. The rules of the Award dictate that lost time cannot be made up – if you miss four weeks-worth of hours, your completion date inevitably moves back four weeks. This becomes of special concern to any current Year 12’s who wish to finish in time for speech night.
Returning to the theme of achievements from earlier in the year, we offer emphatic congratulations to four of our students – Jessica Millin and Olivia Sader (Class of ’23); Molly Espie and Ava Nunley (Class of ’24) – who were presented with their Awards by the NSW Governor, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley, in a ceremony at Accor Stadium in March. All Awards are meritorious, but the achievement of completing Gold before the end of Year 12 is both rare and an outstanding example of organisation, motivation, commitment and sacrifice.
Looking forward to another six months of adventure, big mountains and small joys.
Jo Bower (Award Leader)
Doric Swain (Expedition Supervisor)
