A Greater Purpose, Hannah’s Award Story

Meet Hannah, a Bronze & Silver Award Holder and Gold Participant from Manitoba who has discovered passions, given back to the community, and benefited by the Award in ways she never expected.  

“Hello! I am Hannah, and I am excited about The Duke of Edinburgh Award. I am a Bronze and Silver Recipient and just about to complete my Gold Award. I am from Manitoba, and participated in the Award at my high school, Immanuel Christian School. 

Trying New Things  

My favourite part about The Duke of Edinburgh Award was the adventures I was able to go on. And I’m not just talking about the Adventurous Journeys that are a part of every level. I loved the fact that participating in this Award challenged me to learn new things (like learning how to play the harp!) and go to places I’ve never been before. During my Adventurous Journeys, we explored two beautiful areas of Manitoba, Spruce Woods Provincial Park and Opapiskaw Campground in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Trying new things and having a blast with other participants is my favourite part of the Award. 

The photo is of my favourite spot on my Gold Adventurous Journey (May 2022). 

Community Service 

One of the most beneficial aspects of the Award was the experience I gained through Community Service. In Silver, I volunteered at Mission Thrift Store, a non-profit organization in my neighbourhood dedicated to community improvement. I learned valuable work experience while completing my hours for the Award. I enjoyed being there so much that I continued volunteering after fulfilling the requirements. My commitment and enthusiasm were noticed, and a year later, I was hired as a full-time student for the summer. Now, three years later, I am one of the supervisors, and I continue to work and thrive at Mission Thrift Store. 

Applying the Award to Scholarship Success  

The benefit that surprised me the most was how my participation in the Award helped me tremendously while writing university scholarship essays. Being an Award participant encouraged me to be active in my school, church, and the broader community. This allowed me to be eligible for many scholarships and made writing the essays much easier because I had many different volunteering and leadership roles that I could include. It was interesting how much of the hours I put into the Award have transformed into scholarship money sufficient to cover my first year of university! 

Passion to Purpose Grant 

 Through my participation, I grew in my leadership skills, especially at the gold level. In 2020, for my Gold Project, I was a part of Passion to Purpose, a government grant to fund community outreach. I teamed up with another gold participant to spearhead a project reaching out to Personal Care Homes residents and staff. We made 500 handmade Christmas Cards to build community and support during the difficult COVID lockdown. Our project was so successful that we even repeated it for Christmas 2021. Leading a big project like this was a first for me, and I learned a lot about communicating ideas with others and planning ahead to ensure those ideas are successful. 

This photo is me delivering the Christmas Cards to Bethania Personal Care Home for my Gold Project (Dec 2020).  

You Should Join 

If you are unsure if The Duke of Edinburgh Award is for you, I strongly encourage you to go for it! The Duke of Edinburgh Award an exciting opportunity to try new things, make new friends and discover your passions. You have no idea where the Award will take you and the valuable experiences you will gain from it. It’ll be a challenge for sure, but totally worth it. Just go for it! 

The photo is of me in front of the Manitoba Legislature, after having received my Silver Award (June 2022).” 

• Hannah, Bronze & Silver Award Holder and Gold Participant  

The Award is inspired by Hannah for her inspiration and excitement for new challenges. We are excited for Hannah to continue to achieve the gold Award.  

Thank you Hannah for sharing your story, we hope it inspires you to Join the Award, Volunteer with the Award, or Become an Award Centre.  

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