Six St. Albert students received royal recognition last week for their efforts to become engaged and empowered.
Some 23 Alberta youths gathered at Government House Friday night to receive the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award from the Queen’s representative in Alberta, Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell. Six of those youths were from St. Albert.
Established by Prince Philip in 1956, the Duke of Edinburgh award is a non-competitive, non-academic, self-directed program that encourages youth ages 14 to 25 to become better citizens through community engagement. For the silver level of the award (which consists of a certificate and a silver pin), participants must spend 12 months learning a skill and being physically active, six months supporting their community, and three days on an adventurous journey.
The award pushes you out of your comfort zone, said Katie Fitzgerald, master of ceremonies for the evening and St. Albert resident. She’s set to get the gold level version of this award later this year, for example, and had to face her fear of confined spaces by exploring the Rat’s Nest cave in Canmore as part of it.
“It kind of creates a lifestyle of trying new things.”
Paul Kane graduate Jordan Denesha received his award in recognition for his many years with the air and army cadets and his efforts to learn Japanese.
Mitchell was apparently intrigued that Denesha learned to make sushi in the process, and asked him about it when presenting him with his award.
Denesha said he learned the art though his job at Yuzen Japanese Restaurant.
“I’m still working on sashimi,” he said, but he’s pretty good at nigiri and maki rolls.
He went on an alpine skiing/ice-climbing expedition up Canmore’s Healy Creek trail with his fellow cadets last year as part of the Edinburgh award program. They spent two days climbing up a mountain in pristine two-metre-deep snow, passing numerous avalanche zones.
“We could see everything around us,” he said, including the steep drop off the edge of the mountain just a few feet away. Skiing back down was also pretty amazing.
Marguerite d’Youville student Sofia Guest volunteered with her local Scout troop and taught Grade 2 students at Marie Poburan how to read as part of the Edinburgh program. She’s also planted trees along the Sturgeon River with Parks Canada and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology during the last five years.
“It’s kind of fulfilling,” she said of the latter.
“You’re giving back in a way that will help the environment.”
Brothers Daniel and Benjamin Miller said they started the Edinburgh program back when they lived in Britain.
Daniel spent many hours as a swim coach at Fountain Park pool and ran a triathlon as part of his award. He also canoed through white-water rapids on the North Saskatchewan River with his classmates at Paul Kane.
Benjamin played rugby, learned forensic science and took DNA samples from bison as part of his award.
“It’s a lot of fun, getting to meet new people and try new things,” said the Bellerose Composite student.
Recipient and Bellerose student Svetlana Grigoryan is a dedicated volunteer in Edmonton’s Armenian community and a budding linguist – she can speak English, Russian, Armenian and Spanish.
“The more languages you know, the better you can communicate and understand other cultures and people,” she explained.
Recipient Colleen Moore taught herself Spanish so she could visit Peru with the Girl Guides of Canada. While there, she stayed with local families as she painted murals and built stoves.
www.dukeofed.org has more on the program.
