Kevin Minors and Khylar Rogers were two of the lucky students who were able to participate and succeed in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and the expedition they completed this summer turned out to be a very memorable expedition for them both.

In addition, during the recent royal visit, Kevin met the Duke of Edinburgh himself. "It was a remarkable experience meeting the person who the entire programme is named after. It is a memory that I will never forget," he declared.

Over several years Kevin has completed all three stages of the programme (bronze, silver, and gold). For his gold medal he went on a trip to Jamaica, and walked 150 miles through the Blue Mountains. "On our first day in Jamaica we had to walk 5 miles. We cooked our food over a campfire.Then we had to spend the night at the campsite and wake up at five o'clock in the morning."

"When I first started (the programme) in Bermuda I thought it was just fun, but I soon began to see how it developed your character. I was nervous at first; I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out to be a great learning experience and a lot of fun at the same time. Since the Duke of Edinburgh Award is a worldwide expedition, I got to meet people from all over the world, and made a bunch of new friends. I thought the expedition was enjoyable, because it was like survival on the mountains. If I had the choice I would definitely do it again."

Kevin also has the option of being a teaching assistant, since he completed the gold level. He says that he will think very hard on it because this opportunity is great. He thinks that the Duke of Edinburgh Award is a great programme: "It gives youth the chance to participate in something world wide. It allows them to show their talent, and to meet people from around the world. All in all it was probably the most exciting camping expedition I've ever been on."

Khylah Rogers went to Crooked Islands, Bahamas. 'It was very interesting," she noted. "We had to walk for five days, and camp for five nights. It's an experience I definitely won't forget. When I first started the Duke of Edinburgh Award, I went straight to the silver level, because I thought I knew the first level from everything my friends told me. When I started the silver level it was a bit hard, but I managed.

"When I went to the Crooked Islands I remember walking on the beach, and one time even seeing a flock of wild flamingos. Now that's something you don't see in Bermuda. I remember feeling so homesick because their beach reminded me of home. It was really beautiful. If I could, I would walk again. I think it's a great challenge.

"The hardest level I did was the gold level; it was the most challenging level, but in the end I was like 'wow, I actually had what it took to complete the gold level'. I do encourage people to try the gold level. Not only does it leave you feeling great, but it also looks good on your resume."

One thing Khylah and Kevin agreed on the most was the management. They said that, "The teacher assistants and everyone never let you down. They were with us every step of the way. It's not the programme that makes itself better; it's the people. We would recommend this programme; like we said before, it is a very memorable experience."

For more information about the Duke of Edinburgh programme in Bermuda, go to their website www.theaward.bm or make enquiries with your school counsellor.