Going For Gold - A Tale of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme By Joe Bruton (Year 13)

We recently caught up with Year 13 KES pupil, Joe Bruton to find out what it takes to complete Bronze, Silver and most recently Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Quite incredibly Joe managed to complete his Gold Award in record early time, despite the best efforts of the current pandemic. Read what he has to say below.

I recently completed my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, having worked my way up through Bronze and Silver over the past four years. So – what have I learned along the way? Hmm … well, getting lost is just a state of mind, Year 7s can be brutal, clean underwear is over-rated and failing a piano exam is nowhere near as difficult as peeling onions!

John Muir said, ‘sometimes you have to get lost in order to find yourself’. Well, in that case my journey of self-discovery got off to a flying start on Bronze. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s the journey not the destination, because when you’ve walked an extra two hours in the pouring rain with a 65-litre rucksack on your back … it’s definitely about the destination!

Due to Covid, I couldn’t do my Gold Expeditions with school so I ended up in the Lake District with a bunch of total strangers in Yellow Weather warning conditions!   But whether you do DofE with friends or strangers, the most important thing I’ve learned is that map-reading is not actually about maps – it’s about managing group dynamics! 

In most teams there’s a maverick – a lone wolf who trusts their gut rather than the map and marches on ahead with utterly misplaced confidence! Even as they lead you over a cliff they will still be declaring ‘this is DEFINITELY the right way – trust me!’ Do NOT trust this person alone with a map! However, this team member will also bring gusto, energy and sheer blind optimism that you are really going to need to get you through the blisters and backache and body odour. So, team your maverick with a ‘steady-Eddie’ who will gently remind them to check map coordinates at regular intervals!

Your group might also have a ‘black hole’ – who will suck all energy from the group, or a ‘worry wart’ who constantly doubts their navigation skills but who usually has awesome attention to detail. Team them with the group singer (there’s usually one!) or the group ‘Mum’ or ‘Dad’ (you know the ones I mean!). The key is to work with everyone’s strengths – oh, and to recognise which member of the group you are! Lots of situations in life require teamwork so learning the skills of communication, tact and collaboration with a 15kg rucksack on your back will set you up well for life.

For the Skills Section at Bronze and Silver I worked towards two Piano exams. I am no musical maestro so this was a real slog from which I learned a few valuable lessons. Firstly, never take a piano exam whilst hosting a high maintenance Spanish exchange Diva (but THAT is another story altogether!)  Secondly, the world doesn’t stop turning if you fail at something – I was one mark off a pass (I still blame the Spanish diva!) I was so tempted to throw in the towel, it but in the end I re-sat (passing by the skin of my teeth).  And it was one of the best things that could have happened to me on the eve of my GCSE year!

Throughout Year 11 I recalled that pesky piano exam, whenever I was faced with what seemed like an insurmountable task – learning that endless Spanish vocabulary, memorising pages of Latin, grappling with the horrors of ‘Hard Times’  - grafting at subjects for which I had little natural aptitude,  the recollection of those piano struggles gave me confidence that I could probably do it if I persevered – but also that the world wouldn’t end if I didn’t!

For Gold Skills I learned to cook, which is much better than tinkling the ivories. I now make a mean bolognaise and my spaghetti carbonara is legendary – which means I won’t have to survive on a diet of Pot Noodles and Pringles at University! 

For Gold Residential, I was fortunate enough to earn a placement in the Space Dept at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where I spent a week helping to test actual satellites – an incredible experience! 

But for me the best thing has been the Volunteering Section. For Bronze and Silver I coached the Freshford United Under 10 football team through two glorious seasons. Most of the players were taller than me and we never won a single match but they called me Sir and seemed to think I knew what I was talking about!   For Gold I coached KES Year 7 Rugby – I started with the C team then I was promoted to the As (who enjoyed giving ME tips on how to improve MY First Team game!).  Coaching has been great fun, good for my confidence  - and taught me never to under estimate 11 year olds! 

Doing Gold during a pandemic meant I had to be adaptable. I had been volunteering at the RUH, serving cups of tea on the Geriatric Ward, but I had to change all my plans when the UK went into lockdown. Instead I signed up for the Covid Volunteer Team at the RUH working as a porter, which required patience, communication skills and compassion. Watching the selfless work of NHS workers during the pandemic has been utterly humbling and solidified my desire to work as a doctor. 

Now I am looking at University applications, the lessons I’ve learned from all three sections of DofE demonstrate my commitment, my leadership skills, teamwork, people skills etc. All the things I’m told admissions officers and future employers are looking for. That’s not why I did DofE, but it’s a nice by-product.

More importantly, I like to think that DofE has taught me stuff about myself and given me some great memories!  But what’s the most important thing I have learned? Sock liners do prevent blisters. These will save your life on Silver and Gold!  You - and your toes - can thank me later!
 

By Joe Bruton, Year 13