The Sense of Discovery with the Duke of Edinburgh Award

Thirty - that’s approximately how many Greenwood students are currently pursuing the Duke of Edinburgh Award this year. Students from all grades can be found engaging with their extracurriculars, developing their personal skills and volunteering as means to progress in the program. Of course, the Duke of Edinburgh Award is much more than the award itself, as the skills and activities participants engage with during the program translate to personal development and skill acquisition long after achieving their goals. 

This is something that Cassandra Cansick, Director of Outdoor Education, has quickly noticed in her current role leading the Duke of Edinburgh Award program, alongside Greenwood teacher Darshan 

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with students on the Adventurous Journey portion of the Duke of Ed in the past,” said Cassandra. “What’s great now is that I get to see everything that the students are working towards, including the personal skills portion.”

There are many activities, programs, clubs and committees that count towards several sections of the Duke of Ed Award, allowing students to complete these goals through Greenwood. The Skills section challenges students to develop their pre-existing skills or to step out of their comfort zone to try something new entirely – something Greenwood encourages in all students.

That was the case for Grade 10 student Bryce P.M., who discovered a passion for wood carving during an activity at last year’s Grade 9 Fall OE trip. He has used this newfound hobby for the Duke of Ed Award, having since carved several animals and figurines, such as a bird and a bear.

Other students also approach this section of the Award in their own way. Solomon M.R. was inspired by his mother’s cooking and challenged himself to learn and cook a new recipe every week. Another student pursuing the Award, Luca C., learned to bake sourdough bread, documenting his journey from cultivating his starter to baking the bread itself. 

Outside of the activities contributing to the Award, students are also responsible for documenting and sharing their progress with the Duke of Ed staff. 

“The program is also successful at keeping students accountable,” Cassandra described. “It challenges students to develop time-management skills as the time and progress they put into the program is reliant on them.”

While the Duke of Ed promotes independence through its activities and goal pursuing, it still has a sense of community that can be felt throughout Greenwood. Students will often learn about their peers’ efforts in pursuing the goal, which is shared during the program’s meetings at the school. The encouraging environment that Greenwood has for the Duke of Ed program ensures that students can receive guidance as they continue to pursue the goals they set out for themselves. 

Students in Grades 8-12 who are interested in the Duke of Edinburgh Award can still sign up!  More information about the Award and the application process is available through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award ON tile on the Resource Board.