A record number of boys and girls from Stonyhurst College have successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Gold level expedition. Nineteen sixth formers from Stonyhurst walked 50 miles in Snowdonia over four days and three nights, crossing over the shoulder of Snowdon. Navigation and wild camping tested their survival skills in a situation where the facilities of a “normal” campsite were a very long way away. Mrs Jenny Shelley, Head of Chemistry at Stonyhurst and the college’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme manager, said: “Their assessors were extremely impressed with their support of each other, and their dogged determination in spite of being soaked to the skin for the best part of 3 days!”
Thirty other Stonyhurst students were in Snowdonia at the same time, on their Gold practice expedition, and will undertake their qualifying expedition later this term.
Gold is the final, highly prestigious, level of the scheme and is gained by achievements in four different areas: volunteering, physical pursuits, developing a particular skill, residential voluntary work and an expedition. Gold Award Presentations are made each year in London at St James’s Palace or in Edinburgh at Holyrood House, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh or HRH The Earl of Wessex.
There was also a surprise award for Jenny Shelley herself this week, who has been given a special commendation and certificate from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award organisation for exceptional dedication to the scheme over the last 10 years. Mrs Shelley has been invited to an award ceremony at St James’s Palace later this term!
Stonyhurst’s Headmaster, Andrew Johnson, said: “Not only are we very proud of our Gold Award students, but we are also delighted that Mrs Shelley has received this much deserved honour, in recognition of her hard work and enthusiasm.”