SARAH Butler, 17, of Aspendale Gardens, will be among 75 Victorian students to receive the Gold Duke of Edinburgh award at the Grand Hyatt on Saturday 5 December.
The award has challenged and enriched the lives of thousands of young people since it was established in 1963, the award’s Victoria CEO Anoushka Gungadin said.
Sarah, a year 12 student at Mentone Girls’ Grammar, said she wanted to “prove to herself” that she could commit to the award and achieve all its requirements while being recognised for what she does outside of the classroom.
“The most significant change I found in completing the award was my mentality,” she said.
“I think I would be among many participants who could say that the award encouraged them to strive for their best, but also prove to us that we can achieve some of our big goals.”
Ms Gungadin said the award provided “real world” knowledge and opportunities for future leaders to learn essential life skills.
“We are very proud of our gold awardees,” she said.
“They have all worked extremely hard and we are optimistic about their future with such a high percentage gaining confidence in their job prospects.
“The gold award gala will be a fantastic way for the community to recognise and celebrate their outstanding achievements.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 25 November 2015