Pupils and staff at Belfast Royal Academy in the north of the city are today celebrating a significant milestone with the achievement of the school’s 1,000th Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award.
Almost 2,000 students attending the school since 1984 have now gained a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, including nearly 400 who have achieved the challenging Gold Award and close to 600 who have earned a Silver Award.
Belfast Royal Academy is the largest school-based Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Centre in Northern Ireland, with 351 students aged between 14 and 18 currently participating in the programme at all three levels.
Teacher John Reilly, who is Master-in-Charge of the school’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Centre, said: “The school has a strong tradition of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and winning our 1,000th Bronze Award underlines the school’s commitment to a programme that benefits and inspires young people.
“The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a rewarding and challenging experience for students, providing them with the opportunity to develop new skills, boosting their confidence and offering them a view on life outside the traditional classroom environment.
“We have seen how it makes a real and lasting difference to their personal development, whether that has been through the range of voluntary activities they have carried out within their local communities, or the new friends they have made along the way.
“The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is voluntary and each year our students, alongside our fully trained volunteer leaders, exert a tremendous amount of hard work, perseverance and commitment to reach their goals. It’s that sort of dedication which has allowed everyone involved at the school to achieve this remarkable milestone.”
The student who achieved the 1,000th Bronze Award was Niall Darrah, who completed a range of voluntary activities in four key areas: Volunteering, Expedition, Skills and Physical. This included playing hockey, coaching children at a local hockey club, team expeditions in the Mourne Mountains, and learning how to paddle a canoe.
Niall said: ”Completing The Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award has been a really interesting and challenging experience – one that I think will stand me in good stead in the future. I have already started my Silver Award and plan to achieve that as soon as possible before moving on to my Gold Award.”
Commending Belfast Royal Academy on their achievement Kate Thompson, Northern Ireland Director of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “Belfast Royal Academy is one of the most active schools currently participating in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Northern Ireland and I am delighted for everyone involved that they have achieved their 1,000th Bronze Award.
“To reach this significant milestone is a real testament to the dedication and success of the school in making a lasting difference to the lives of young people by recognising their goals and achievements through The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.”
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was founded in 1956 by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh who remains the Patron. Over 275,000 young people take part in DofE programmes in the UK each year of which 16,000 are in Northern Ireland.
Across the world, in total over 635,000 participants are doing DofE programmes at any one time.