They have both won Gold Medals in the Duke of Edinburgh programme. And Winter Olympian Patrick Singleton along with former Director of the scheme in Bermuda and local BDA politician Donte Hunt both have said that taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh programme has long-lasting affects.

"I believe that it helps you later in life when you are applying for a job. It is just as important as an 'A' level. If I was an employer I would recognise that this person has gone through a process and he or she has discipline. With exams you are babied a little through it but with the Duke of Edinburgh programme you have to show initiative at a young age," said Mr. Singleton, who later went on to compete in the luge at the Nagano Olympics in 1998 and again at the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002 before switching to the skeleton for the Turin Olympics in 2006.

Mr. Hunt said: "I would love to see more young people go into the Duke of Edinburgh programme. But it can be tough getting some young people to understand that the programme will help them going forward in getting a job (when their education finishes). When they put in that resume and state that they have taken part in the Duke of Edinburgh programme it means a lot to an employer. But some young people do not make the connection between today in high school and tomorrow getting a job. And that goes hand in hand with the issues we are facing with education. Also the parents have to understand the value of the Duke of Edinburgh programme. There are certain schools that have parents that are switched on and understand the value of that resume and these are the ones that push their kids to do the Duke of Edinburgh programme.

"They also realise that the programme will help make their child very well-rounded person. The programme may open up an avenue to a young person they have never been down before.

"To an employer it shows that this young person has discipline and can rise to the challenge. It shows mental fortitude and also shows that a young person can embrace change – something that is out of their comfort zone."

Mr. Singleton, who is now 36 years old, said that winning his Bronze, Silver and then Gold Awards helped with his Olympic career.

"I would say that participating in the Duke of Edinburgh programme did help me. The programme teaches you at the young age the importance of discipline and staying with it to the finish. I think it is good because it motivates you. And while he had to take part in a long and tough canoe trip in Florida for his Gold Award, it was really volunteering at Hope Homes which made the biggest impact on him.

"I was at Saltus – I suppose I was about 15 years old – and the time I spent at Hope Homes was the most rewarding for me. I stayed in a little apartment off Union Street and working at Hope Homes was a real eye opener. I had been involved in Special Olympics but this was different. We were helping people and we struggled a bit because a lot of people were older and some had physical and mental limitations. When you are only about 15 or 16 you don't know how to deal with that so they were educating us as much as we were helping them. It was fascinating and I think I grew a lot from that experience and it helped me later in life."

For his Gold Award he spent a week rowing down rivers in Florida.

"It was a long-distance canoeing trip. At our age we were not that strong and the canoes were full of our equipment and food."

And Mr. SIngleton also met and was presented with the Gold Award from the Duke of Edinburgh himself. "He came to Bermuda shortly after (gaining his gold) – it just so happened that he stopped off here and they had a small exhibit and reception for him at Government House for those who were getting their Gold Medal."

For Mr. Hunt, the programme was a natural for him as he was one of Bermuda's star track athletes when he was a teenager having competed in events like the Carifta and CAC Games in triple jump and the sprints.

"I ran track and it fitted in with the Duke of Edinburgh programme. I must admit I was very busy at that age. I think both track and the Duke of Edinburgh programme have given me discipline but more importantly they encouraged me do things that I would not normally have done."