AN ARDUOUS expedition is proving to be a golden pathway to the future after sixth formers completed a life challenge in style.
Year 13 students from St John’s School and Sixth Form College, Bishop Auckland, successfully completed their gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards and will now meet royalty in May.
Maia Stanbridge, 17, of Spennymoor, Daniel Tomlinson, 17, of Shildon, Freya Richardson 18, of Stanhope and Thomas Smurthwaite, 18, of Shildon, achieved the top honour after completing a gruelling four day expedition in the Lake District. They were accompanied by Joe Walton, 18, of Bishop Auckland.
The sixth formers also had to learn new skills, ranging from historic coin collecting to photography and volunteering in the community.
Unusually and due to time constraints, the students completed the practice expedition in Northumberland around Hadrian’s Wall in the same week as their final 50 mile trek and wild camp in the Lakes.
“We were pretty tired before we started,” said Thomas, who is now a D of E volunteer and leader. “Then on the final day, when we already had 14 miles to complete, we mis-navigated and walked an extra four miles with heavy packs on Helvellyn.
“However we were able to successfully get back onto the route thanks to the relocation strategies we had been taught. There were a few tears of frustration that day, and it was our toughest day of the entire expedition, so we were glad when we reached the wild camping site; it was beautiful, the perfect place to camp.”
Thomas hopes to read a degree in English and history with a view to returning to St John’s in the future as a teacher. “It is such a wonderful school, “ he said. “In fact 25 of its staff were former pupils.”
Daniel, who runs a school outdoors club and is aiming to become an electrical engineer, said: “Only about five per cent of people achieve gold and we can now say that we have done it, which will be great for our personal statements and CVs. It was challenging but also an amazing confidence booster. We learned so many new skills, such a lot about each other and formed friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Maia, who is a rugby coach, said: “I think D of E has improved my determination, resilience and heightened the importance of responsibility. I will be taking the skills I’ve learned forward, especially when I go to university to train as a nurse. There were times when I was hot, hungry and homesick but at the end I felt the rewards as I had done it.”
Assistant headteacher Natalie Rose added: “The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme always attracts a healthy interest from students from Year 9 to 13 who have been successful at bronze, silver and gold levels.
“Such is the popularity in sixth form, we currently have 35 students in Year 12 completing it as part of a special ‘extend yourself’ programme. A variety of enrichment activities are encouraged at St John’s, which is in the top ten of schools in the county, as a means to complement students’ academic studies, broaden their horizons and give them the skillset they need to flourish.”
