Resilience wins through

By Sarah Schwager
A GROUP of Marnebek students have proved they can achieve this year after each receiving Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
The middle school students were very proud after they were awarded on Tuesday night.
Their teacher Keira Haigh said the students, who have all been assessed as having some sort of mild to severe disability, had worked hard throughout the year to get the award.
They had to work through a number of challenges encompassing four sections including community service, skill development, physical recreation and an adventurous journey.
“The students began this journey as very dependant unsure young people,” Ms Haigh said.
“It’s fantastic to see how they have developed into confident young adults who can voice their opinion appropriately and deal with a variety of challenges that may come their way in the future.”
Community service came in the form of a guide dog pup named Krabi.
Ms Haigh said the students thoroughly enjoyed having him in the class and cheerfully accepted the responsibilities that came with training and raising a puppy.
“Most students, however, turned their nose up when it came to toileting him,” she said, laughing.
The skill component included household chores, craft, jewellery making, swimming, cooking and bike riding.
Physical recreation went from weekly gym sessions to a hike out to Bush Rangers Bay followed by some ‘ankle deep’ paddling and the 1000 Steps Kakoda memorial track on Mount Dandenong.
Teacher Mark Dougall said the students experienced many new things and learnt to deal with their emotions, including fear and frustration, braving 35 degree heat, mosquitoes and sand flies and then heavy rain on French Island.
Despite the conditions students were still smiling and came back full of stories to tell.
“The challenges and experiences faced by these students – 14 and 15 year old girls and boys – have regularly moved them out of their comfort zone but have shown their teachers and others that today’s youth have the resilience and character to work through and triumph over adversity,” Mr Dougall said.