Gold Medals presented for Duke of Edinburgh Awards

Six young people from the Highlands were presented with their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards during a meeting of The Highland Council held earlier today (Thursday 28 June).

Rory Mackenzie and Anna Wells are members of the Crown Award group in Inverness.  Rory was a direct entrant to his Gold Award, and has spent 18 months working with the Special Needs Action Project for his service section.

Anna completed the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards for her residential project, has helped out with Girl Guides, at a nursing home and taken part in rock climbing, and trampolining as she has worked her way through Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

Colin Morrison was a pupil at Gairloch High School.  His Award Leader describes Colin as a very reliable member of his group and a major motivating force.  Colin’s residential project was sailing in the Mediterranean. 

Hope Wright, a pupil at Grantown Grammar School, completed her Gold Award late last year.  She has completed an assistant swim teacher course as her residential project and feels the Award has helped her to be more tolerant and patient with others.

Lesley MacCallum from Charleston Academy and Jenny MacDonald from Inverness Royal Academy gained their awards through Nessbank Girls Brigade. Both girls have been members of the Brigade since they were 5 years old. Lesley learnt needlework as her skill and joined Girls Brigade Scotland for an expedition to the Borders and Jenny went to Mongolia to work in an orphanage.  Both girls are going to university but hope to continue their involvement with the Girls Brigade.
 
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is delivered within schools, community groups and in partnership with voluntary youth organisations.

Convener of The Highland Council, Sandy Park, who presented the young people with their awards, praised them all for their commitment and the effort they had made and then went on to wish them all well for their future.

Seven other young people unable to attend the presentation have also been awarded Gold Medals.  They are Jemima Kirkwood from Grantown Grammar; Lorna Levey from Dornoch Academy; Sarah Richardson, from Dornoch Academy, Kevin Hamilton and Adam Wedderburn from Wick High School; Kathryn MacGill from Inverness Royal Academy and Jenny Ramsay, Crown Award Group.

All the gold medallists are invited to the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh on Wednesday 4 July 2007 to be presented with their certificates by HRH Duke of Edinburgh.