Four students from Oakville Trafalgar High School are celebrating after being awarded a prestigious Duke of Edinburgh scholarship.
Grade 12 students
Nolan Muller, Rohan Naik, Aman Patodia and former student Samantha Rutherford (who is now enrolled at McMaster University) are recipients of the
Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The award is part of a global program that challenges, empowers and recognizes young people between the ages of 14 and 24. Students must accomplish levels of academics and community involvement against standards of measurement from the organization.
Quotes from recipients of Duke of Edinburgh award“It feels amazing to win the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. It was tough to complete but really worth it because it taught me perseverance and commitment,” says Nolan Muller. “The best part was being able to collect hockey equipment for First Nations youth as part of my service part of the award.”
“I am honoured to have participated in and completed the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Program as it taught me how to become a stronger individual, both mentally and physically, and view challenges as opportunities to succeed,” says Aman Patodia. “I had the chance to grow as a person through learning new concepts, going out of my comfort zone, and taking initiative to achieve meaningful goals. As much as the Duke of Ed experience is pushing yourself to reach new heights, I couldn't have completed the program without the help and guidance of my family, peers and teachers at school.”
“Achieving the Duke of Edinburgh gold medal is incredibly rewarding as it concludes a successful multi-year journey,” says Rohan Naik. “Continuously dedicating three years to learning new skills, physical sports and community service made me appreciate the value of developing into a well-rounded person. My highlights were the rigorous adventure journeys for each medal that pushed me to new levels of physical and mental toughness. Overcoming seemingly impossible tasks in the backcountry invoked a strong sense of personal accomplishment and pride.”
“Winning my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, but more so working towards this achievement, is an experience I will always remember,” Samantha Richardson says. “While it took many years to complete, the Duke of Edinburgh has been a main theme in my life as I have grown up. I feel it is a representation and recognition of all the hard work, personal challenges, new friends and gradual successes of my journey. To win my gold award makes me very proud of myself and very grateful to my mentors along the way.”
Principal Steve Oliver says the school couldn’t be prouder of the work of the recipients and what they accomplished.
“OT has a long history of promoting and celebrating high achievement among our students. Today's ceremony is a chance to honour recipients of our Duke of Edinburgh awards as well as the Proficiency award winners for each grade level. We are enormously proud of the outstanding accomplishments of these winners,” Oliver says.
“By recognizing the amazing things young people can do and learn outside the boundaries of formal education, the Award empowers them to discover hidden talents, develop untapped leadership potential and make a difference in their community,” states the Duke of Edinburgh website.
