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Blue Mountain College Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award gold recipients (back, left to right) Alice Crawford (19), Anna Isteed (20), Kim Shaw (19), Jared Stark (18) , Rachel Hay (18), Courtney Sanne (18); (front, left to right) Danae Bradley (18), Caycee Cormack (18), Sir Jerry Mateparae, Janine, Lady Mateparae, Cassie Crawford (17) and Kate Stiven (19). Absent - Renee Tomsett. Photo by Peter McIntosh. |
That a large group of West Otago "country kids" earned gold
Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Awards showed it was within reach
of any pupil if they worked hard, Blue Mountain College
awards co-ordinator Vicki Crawford says.
Ten of the 11 Blue Mountain College pupils and former pupils
who earned the award this year attended the Dunedin ceremony
at John McGlashan College on Saturday, at which
Governor-General Lieutenant-general Sir Jerry Mateparae
presented the awards.
Mrs Crawford said 70% of eligible pupils at the school of 210
were involved in the programme.
The school had a history of high participation, and in a
previous year had had 12 attain the gold award. Those who
achieved inspired younger pupils, which fostered the strong
participation rate.
The Blue Mountain contingent was the biggest single school
group.
Recipients included former pupils because the cut-off age for
completion is 25.
The awards were accessible to all parents and their children,
because although the range of activities included overseas
travel, at the award's core was volunteering, and there were
plenty of opportunities locally.
Among the Blue Mountain pupils' stated highlights were:
tramping in Fiordland, sailing on the Spirit of New Zealand,
completing Outward Bound, volunteering in children's
activities, coaching sports teams.
Other recipients, Otago: Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary
Awards (gold): Cromwell College, Rebecca Scully, Elle
Tredinnick; Menzies College, Benjamin Dodds, Lisa Dyer; Mount
Aspiring College, Abigael Ayre, Andrew Hamilton, Guy Wilson;
South Otago High School, Reagan Martin; Columba College,
Charlotte O'Leary; John McGlashan College, Patrick Beamish,
Josua Chignell, Simon Craig, Peter Kane, Benjamin Lorimer;
Otago Girls' High School, Anya Matravers; St Hilda's
Collegiate School, Michelle Hale, Sarah McLaren, Hazel
Urquhart.
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