Sarah Parkinson, daughter of Shirley and Donald Parkinson of Unity was one of 130 young Canadians presented with a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards by His Royal Highness, Prince Edward the Earl of Wessex at an award ceremony held at the Ottawa Convention Center in Ottawa, Ont., Sept. 12.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Program was started in 1956 by the founder and patron HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. The award operates in over 100 countries and has become one of the world's most prestigious youth programs, known as The International Award for Young People.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award: Young Canadians Challenge is an exciting self-development program available to all young people, either through a youth group or independently. The program equips young people with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world.
The program motivates young people from the ages of 14 to 25 to undertake self-development. It equips young people with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and the world. The recipients set goals and challenge themselves to achieve in each of four sections: community service, physical recreation, skill development and an expedition or exploration. At the gold level, recipients also carry out a residential project.
It is a four-part program with three progressive levels: bronze for those aged 14 and over; silver for those aged 15 and over; and gold for those aged 16 and over. The bronze level is awarded at a local level; the silver level is awarded by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and the gold level is awarded by a member of the Royal Family.
Sarah Parkinson began her involvement with the award program as a member of the air cadets, 399 Stirling RCACS, in Unity. Sarah met all the requirements for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award in 2007 but needed to wait until this year to have a member of the Royal Family present the Award.
Sarah is presently enrolled in her first year of studies towards her medical doctorate in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Congratulations, Sarah, on receiving the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award!
