BSC International Award entrants meet Prince Edward

Last Saturday afternoon (3 Feb 2018), five students in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme visited with Prince Edward at the British Council to speak about their Award experiences. 
Ten students from the British School in Colombo and Le Petit Fleur along with their Award Coordinators were given this opportunity to set up shop in the British Council Library. They displayed their focus projects and presentations in a special corner arranged for the purpose. The students represented the first two Independent Award Centres in Sri Lanka.

The BSC Delegates:
Husein Esufally, 12A and Ravesh Dadlani, 11D are Bronze and Silver Award Holders. Both boys are now preparing to work for their Gold Award.
Lokesha Pieris, 12B, Theekshana Nawinne, 11C and Mindi Premarathne, 11D are Bronze Award Holders. All three students are now completing their Silver Award.
Mindi prepared to speak about her volunteer service at Bronze and Silver levels. She worked at Embark learning to care for dogs for Bronze Award and then taught English to younger girls in an orphanage for her Silver Award. Mindi has realised there is much to learn while offering one’s time, energy and efforts to help others whether it is of the four-legged or two-legged communities. She also feels a sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction in her service work.
Theekshana feels the Award has been a life changing experience for him. He believes that the Award has helped him become a more complete person. The Physical Recreational component has pushed him to being a better person. Theekshana pursued cricket with a passion. He says that he is a better team player and a more fit person now. He strongly believes that the Physical Recreational component has led him to become an active, healthy and confident individual.
Lokesha studied contemporary dance as a new skill. She took this as a challenge to do something which she had never done before and directed herself to be open-minded and face challenges. Lokesha believes taking up this skill has influenced her positive take on making the most of an opportunity. She will definitely continue contemporary dance beyond her Award work.
Ravesh believes that the challenges of the Adventurous Journeys helped him shape up to be a better team player as well as become an independent person.
Husein feels that the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is for everyone, but only those who learn to adapt to their situation could truly enjoy the wondrous benefits of working for and achieving the Award. He says he has never before felt the sense of fulfillment and achievement he felt when he completed his Bronze and Silver levels. Husein believes that the Award made him know himself better, understand his strengths and weaknesses and how to become a better person. In Husein’s words, the Award work brings an elegant harmony of mind, body and soul.

The Event:
The 10 students interacted with each other sharing their stories and later responded to Prince Edward’s queries regarding their individual Award Work. The meeting with Prince Edward was friendly and filled with laughter as everyone acknowledged the many challenges faced in their favourite section, the Adventurous Journey. 
The event was moderated by the Award Foundation Staff, Ms. Thanuja Wijesinghe. The students were also introduced to the British Council Country Director Ms. Gill Caldicott.
The event concluded with late afternoon refreshments, where students from the two schools had more opportunity to interact with each other while observing the reminder of the Prince Edward’s and Countess Sophie’s visit to the British Council.