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Staff visit Buckingham Palace

Representatives for KSA's Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme were invited to attend the Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace last week.

 

 

 

 

Representatives for KSA's Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme were invited to attend the Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace last week.
On Monday 16th May 2016, lead teachers for the Academy's DofE scheme, Vice Principal, Mr Tony Segalini and English Teacher, Miss Rachael Davies attended the once in a life time Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Gold Award Presentation at the Palace in London.
At the event Mr Segalini and Miss Davies were presented with a special plaque for KSA from the DofE Charity by celebrity supporter and successful business woman, Jo Malone, acknowledging the Secondary Phase’s commitment to running the DofE awards scheme and acknowledging the school's involvement in giving young people the opportunity to transform their lives.
The DofE is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary throughout 2016, having supported millions of young people in the UK and across the globe to achieve DofE Awards since it was founded in 1956. The prestigious Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace is just one of many memorable events taking place to celebrate 60 years of the Charity.
Members of the Royal Family were present at the event; HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH The Earl of Wessex and HRH The Countess of Wessex, who were there to congratulate those involved including young Gold Award achievers, organisations that deliver the DofE and special guests such as corporate supporters and DofE Diamond Challengers, who have set themselves a personal challenge to raise money for the DofE Charity in its anniversary year.
Kettering Science Academy started delivering the DofE programme last year and our young people have been volunteering in their community, learning new skills, getting fit and are currently preparing to go on their first expedition. 
Taking part in a DofE programme significantly impacts on young people’s futures, enabling them to develop vital skills for life and work, such as confidence, commitment, resilience and team work. Widely acknowledged as the world’s leading achievement award for young people.
After the May half term break the programme will be launched again for our current Year 9 Students to sign up for. 
Miss Davies, after attending the celebration event at the Palace, said: “It was a great honour to be invited to Buckingham Palace and to receive a commemorative plaque to acknowledge and say thank you for our work with the Charity during this Diamond Anniversary year. Our students are currently working towards their bronze awards but there is the potential in the future for Gold award students to come from KSA. It is all very exciting.”
"I felt honoured to attend the event on behalf of the school and it was a once in a life time opportunity and experience. It was also a great event for meeting with representatives from other schools and hearing about their award schemes and students."
Peter Westgarth, Chief Executive of the DofE Charity said: “Through the DofE, Kettering Science Academy is inspiring the success of its young people; equipping them with the attributes and skills to get a job and build strong relationships whilst opening up their worlds and introducing them to a broad range of interests. We are truly grateful to all of our Licensed Organisations for the work that they do, they are an integral part of the DofE family, and our Diamond Anniversary is a fantastic opportunity to say thank you.”  
Currently, there are more than 300,000 young people doing a DofE programme across the UK through a variety of centres including both state and independent schools, special schools, businesses, prisons, young offender institutions, housing associations and youth groups.
To celebrate its 60th year, the Charity has also launched the DofE Diamond Challenge. This one-off initiative allows people of all ages to take on a DofE inspired challenge and earn their Diamond Pin. Signing up to The DofE Diamond Challenge has an amazing double benefit – whilst challenging yourself, pushing your boundaries, you’re also raising money for the DofE Charity so that it can transform the lives of more young people and offer free places and bursary grants to those most in need.  

 

Visit www.DofE.org for more information about the DofE, and to find out how you can support the Charity in its Diamond Anniversary year, go to www.DofEDiamondChallenge.org.