Bronze

Since the beginning of the Award, I have had some truly spectacular experiences, including witnessing sunsets, completing 2000 word stories, and singing to myself as I watched the sun rise. Whilst I treasure each moment, one particular instance does come to mind. One afternoon after school, I decided to go for a walk with my twin sister and 5 year old brother. Rather than following our usual track, we decided to go down a different path. As we were walking, I began to hear an unusual chirping sound. When we kept walking, the sound continued, continually growing louder. Upon finally reaching the source of the noise, I couldn't believe my eyes. The grass was carpeted with rainbow lorikeets, creating a kaleidoscope of colour. The green grass was barely visible beneath them. It was truly an unforgettable sight, one that I will always appreciate.

16

Throughout the course of completing my Bronze Award, I faced a variety of challenges, both large and small. One major one that comes to mind is the enjoyable challenge of living aboard a boat. Over the course of the trip, I eventually became accustomed to the daily routine, as well as the rotating watches. However, I initially struggled with the physical aspect, particularly knot tying. Each day came with a new knot to learn, of varying degrees of difficulty. Luckily, my watch helped me overcome this challenge, demonstrating the process, and helping me when I struggled. By the end of the journey, we had even won a challenge!

Australia

Doing the Duke of Edinburgh's Award has encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, to develop skills that I might otherwise have neglected. After my Award is completed, I plan to continue all of the activities in some form. Last year, I joined the Student Council, to become more connected with my school community. This year, I began to play a more active role in the proceedings, prompted by the fact that it was an award activity. Since then, I've formed relationships, and been able to become involved in a variety of projects. This positive environment has, inspired me to run for a leadership position next year. As well as improving my mental health, walking allows me to explore my neighbourhood, to become more familiar with the surrounding environment. For my Adventurous Journey, I opted to do a sailing trip, a decision that I am extremely grateful that I made. Although I'd never been sailing before, I quickly found that it was a highly enjoyable experience. Currently, I'm scheduled to complete my Silver voyage with a similar program, a journey I'm certainly anticipating. Finally, for my journey, I began a weekly creative writing program, which allows me to freely express creativity in a variety of ways. At the moment, I am midway through my second unit, and plan to enrol again next term.

Selecting just one photo would be like choosing a single moment. Every photo tells a story, each one is associated with a unique memory, a specific time. Each experience I had on my Adventurous Journey was valuable, every moment precious. The photo collage tells a story, documenting my experiences, telling a tale of exploration and curiosity. Every time I look at the collage, it allows me to remember those little forgotten moments, the ones that linger at the back of my mind. Over the duration of my adventures, I captured around 330 photos. When I look at each one, I can't help but smile, remembering my time on there..

Participant