Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award; Adventurous Journey
On Friday, 2 December; Emma Cantell, Kiran Whyte, Marwan Osman, Josiah Ling, and Brooke Baker set out on their qualifying journey for the Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journey Bronze Award.
Their destination was the 956m summit of the extinct stratovolcano - Mt. Pirongia - as the highest peak in the Waikato. Hiking up the Ruapane and Tirohanga tracks was challenging and steep. With perseverance, students found their hiking legs and made it to the Pahautea Hut (at the top) with an hour of daylight to spare.
Descending the mountain on the following morning - via the Mahaukura track - was even more difficult. By this time, the students were seasoned hikers and tackled the steep, rooty, rocky, muddy terrain as a team. They offered each other helping hands and encouraging words throughout our trek and made it safely (and gratefully) to the end. Expertly shadowed by Jarrod Baker, we would like to thank him for being an excellent and supportive parent volunteer. Thanks to staff member, Ben Strickland, for his energy and expertise in organising such wonderful experiences outside the classroom for our students.
Looking to find an even bigger challenge, our latest successful Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award recipients are now planning for their Silver Award next year. See Mr Strickland for your next opportunity. You will love it!
