Bronze

My favourite memory of my Award was trying everything I had never done before, which was honestly everything I did. From camping with friends overnight and hiking through the bush with a pack almost my size, to taking bearings and using a compass, I learnt many new skills and ways to appreciate my life. For example, I will never ever complain about how heavy my school bag is after lugging around a pack that was just over 1/4 of my weight. I appreciated the time I had to have fun with my friends as we were on our journey. It helped to connect me closer with my friends, and I will never forget the long chats we had during our hours and hours of walking.

15

The biggest challenge I faced while completing my Award was learning to have the right mindset. Going into the Award, I was nervous that I wouldn't have the time to log enough hours into my record book, or maybe that I wouldn't survive the night in a tent during the middle of winter. But honestly, with the right mindset, none of that was a worry. Staying motivated was hard, especially when my legs were too short to reach where I needed to step or when a rooster started constantly crowing from 5 in the morning. But being alongside my friends and having something that motivated me helped me get through my adventure journey. It pushed me mentally to a state I never thought I would reach, and I am happy that I experienced my journey.

Australia

I had wanted to start doing some sort of soccer coaching for a while, and Duke of Ed finally got me to do it. I had an amazing time volunteering as a soccer coach, regardless of the crazy under-7 boys' team I was assigned to. I am definitely looking forward to coaching again next season, as it really benefits me and my community.

Sometimes before you go the right way you have to go every other way first, this photo shows that you cannot go forwards without going backwards. My team and I were travelling, or as we liked to call it; bush-bashing, through some thick and spikey bush. Occasionally, we would come across large rock surfaces, where we would stop and regather everybody. Instead of a gathering point, every once in a while we would use these rocks to stand on and look at our paths from a different perspective. From time to time, it is good to take another look at the environment around you from a different angle... preferably an angle where twigs aren't sticking into your face. Not only did this give us a better idea of which were the less aggressive paths to take, but it also let us stop, breathe and take in our beautiful surroundings. My team and I appreciated these beautiful moments in our journey.

Participant