Nichola Hollingsworth, Head of Department – Physical and Health Education, Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator, CAS Co-Coordinator
On a wintery weekend in mid-November, 20 students and five Hangzhou International School (HIS) staff headed down to the Tonglu areas of Hangzhou. This beautiful mountain spot would serve as the host for our Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award ‘Adventurous Journey 1’.
HIS is proud to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, better known as the DofE, a program that equips students in Grade 9 and above with invaluable skills to assist in their future academic and professional careers.
Students can complete six months (Bronze), nine months (Silver), or 12 months (Gold) worth of activities that include physical recreation, helping younger children in elementary, volunteering with charities, and supporting our local Hangzhou community. During the fortnightly meetings, they also learn camp craft, first aid, and navigational skills ready for our expeditions in the wild.
The world-renowned award requires two overnight camps (known as ‘Adventurous Journeys’) to take place, the first to teach and check student’s wilderness skills and the second to demonstrate their skills in a challenging setting.
Setting out in high spirits, students arrived at what would be their first of many information sessions. They double-checked that their backpacks were balanced and their equipment properly compressed for optimal storage, before hiking up a steep hill to the campground. This hike showed students that even though they only went a small distance, when you add a vertical into the equation it can significantly slow your progress.
After arriving at the campground, students developed their navigation skills, practicing reading a topographic map and using a compass to plan their hike for the next day. As a student I developed my own map reading skills doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and have been able to hike around the world confidently because of it.
Back at base camp, we then spent some time setting up our tents while surrounded by the color changing ferns, which added a beautiful backdrop.
Student were particularly excited when they got the opportunity to work with the radios, learning proper radio edict and practicing with their call signs to send messages to each other. To ensure physical map reading and not use of map apps, phones are strictly not allowed on the hikes, and so communication was only via the walkie talkies provided.
With the sun beginning to set we moved onto first aid, where students learnt about DRSABCD (Danger, Response, Send for help, Airway, Breathing, CPR and Defibrillation) and other essential information.
Students then worked in groups, using camp stoves to cook their own meals, before moving around a bonfire and enjoying the full moon and the singing and guitar playing by several students and staff.
The rain on this weekend provided a soothing sound for some to fall asleep, though for others it signaled that they better get outside and move their hiking shoes to keep them dry!
The decision-making skills that students learn and practice on these kinds of trips is the best life experience they can have. The International Award helps students develop their communication, leadership, resilience and teamwork.
Finally, Sunday saw the Bronze students tackle a 7km hike and the Silver students take on 12km – the award has three levels which gets progressively harder and longer.
Both groups faced steep downhill paths made more challenging by the rain but worked together as teams to overcome these challenges. They all did well and are well prepared for their next overnight camp in April.
