As part of her gold Duke of Edinburgh award, Annelise Guest paddled 110km overnight, made weekly visits to folk in a nursing home and spent hours and hours practising the viola. But to the former student of New England Girls’ School, her efforts were not so much a means to an end, as a way of developing skills that will enrich her for life.
Four years after starting her Duke of Edinburgh pursuits and now studying at the University of Sydney, Ms Guest was presented with her award by NSW Governor Her Excellency Marie Bashir at a ceremony at NSW Government House last month.
She said undertaking the various activities for the award were some of the best fun she had at NEGS, one of the first schools to embrace the award scheme when it was introduced to Australia in 1965. To achieve the various awards, participants have to do a requisite number of hours in the areas of skill, sport, service, adventure and residential. For Ms Guest, this meant viola lesson and involvement in the NEGS string ensemble; playing hockey for NEGS, instigating weekly visits to seniors in the Autumn Lodge nursing home; white water canoeing including the State All Schools competition and the 110km Hawkesbury Canoe Classic; and HSC residency at the University of Sydney.
“From the adrenaline rush of facing a big rapid to the fulfilment of helping those in need and the self-confidence I gained by learning and developing my cultural and sporting skills, Duke of Edinburgh at NEGS helped me to grow into myself in a caring and supportive environment and gave me skills I will be called upon to utilise for the rest of my life,” Ms Guest said.
“As I read through all the documentation it struck me that these were the same values NEGS has upheld for over a century – values such as friendship, individuality and learning that allow every participant to explore their potential, enjoy challenges and strive for the best.”
