Y12 student Kate Henton speaks about staying motivated and focused enough to earn her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in just 3 & 1/2 years

Kate is a young woman of resilience and focus who has an air of quiet modesty about her. As she was "one of the youngest" to receive her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award recently, I thought I would have a chat with her to see if she has any insights about motivation, resilience and dedication - qualities that all of us could use, especially while in lockdown! During our conversation, what stands out is how Kate strikes a perfect balance between being down-to-earth and self-assured. I'm sure much of that is just 'Kate' but she credits her experiences with the Duke of Edinburgh programme with giving her the confidence, skills and independence she needed to make the most out of life.

Kate says she "always knew" that she would undertake the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. Her parents had regretted that they were never given the opportunity but her aunt had completed her Gold and spoke of the benefits she had received. Kate made the decision to start the programme as soon as she could, in Year 9. When asked if the time commitments and physical demands hadn't seemed daunting to a fourteen-year-old, Kate shrugs and says, "I was already doing those things anyway so it just made sense for me". It becomes quickly apparent that, for Kate, the Duke of Edinburgh programme has not been some extra-curricular activity but rather a complement to a lifestyle she wanted to pursue regardless. Receiving acknowledgment for her hours of service and dedication to the challenges that the programme presented was just icing on the cake.

Completing the Gold in such a short time (3 & 1/2 years) wasn't Kate's initial goal - she was just enjoying herself! Helping out at after-school care was a service opportunity that she particularly valued. She speaks very fondly of her time with the younger children, saying it has been a real highlight for her and that it's been very special because "I've seen a lot of the little kids start being five years old and I've gone right through with them".

Kate especially enjoyed her time on the Spirit of Adventure, travelling from Princes Wharf in Auckland to the Bay of Islands. She describes it as: "ten days away with people I didn't know...it was amazing. I'd never slept on a boat before, I'd never swum with dolphins...it was just a really awesome experience". Despite initially being strangers, the group bonded quickly and Kate says "we have a big group chat and still keep in contact with each other". This opportunity to make lifelong friends from different parts of the country is one she still treasures.

Most challenging, reflects Kate, were both of her practice tramps. On the first, a metre of snow fell overnight and she admits "none of us had really prepared for it!" and then, in stark contrast, she received third-degree burns from sun exposure on the practice for her Silver. With characteristic modesty, she shrugs when I mention her resilience and smiles as she says, "it was just a matter of getting on and doing it at that point". Life lessons acquired, she reflects, are that you "learn to stick at something and to manage yourself". 

Now that she has completed Gold, Kate intends to re-focus her energies on her academics but, she says, she will also continue with her service commitments, "because I enjoy them". After Year 13, she hopes to study to become a paramedic and, in that way, to pursue a career grounded in service. The Duke of Edinburgh programme, however, will definitely remain in the family. "My brother's just about to finish his Silver at a very young age" she explains, "and if I have kids, I'll encourage them to do it too". 

Lastly, Kate has some pointers for younger students considering taking on the Duke of Edinburgh but I think everybody would do well to take her advice on board. "I always focus on a quote when I'm tramping," she says, "'what goes up must come down'. Whenever I tramped it was always up mountains...you've got to get through the hard stuff for it to become easy". Wise words, Kate!