Three youths in the community were honoured by Okotoks town council at Monday night's meeting. 

Emma Cunningham from the Foothills Composite High School as well as Nick and Owen Plumb from Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School completed the bronze level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. 

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a global program with the goal of challenging, empowering and recognizing young people between the ages of 14 and 24. It consists of three levels. Bronze, silver and gold. 

In his statement to council, Owen Plumb explained the journey they have had to take to reach their current level. 

"We played hockey, typed and cycled for our activities. We challenged ourselves with new skills to build a robot that would compete autonomously and driver controlled in regional and provincial competitions. We volunteered by writing letters to seniors during COVID and teaching youth in the community how to write computer code."

It gives you a sense of structure and a sense of development. When you look back through your logs of all the different activities that you've done. You say ‘Oh wow! I really did all this work -Owen Plumb

As a group, they also completed a three-day winter camp in Bow Valley Provincial Park which involved learning skills such as avalanche safety, hiking and building a quinzee shelter. 

He continues, "We've learned so many new leadership and life skills through this program and are really excited to continue through silver and gold."

The three of them are a part of a robotics team and find themselves doing these activities on a regular basis. This is something that has been encouraging them to strive for the awards says Owen. 

"There's no real incentive other than just the fact that we love doing them and continue them. It gives you a sense of structure and a sense of development. When you look back through your logs of all the different activities that you've done. You say ‘Oh wow! I really did all this work. I put in all this effort and the results really show as well."

Nick goes into detail about the time commitment of each level. 

"So for the bronze level award, we had to complete 13 hours of each activity. Physical, volunteering and skills and this increases with each level. Going up to 26 hours for silver and 52 hours for gold. 

Councillor Oliver Hallmark smiled throughout the presentation. This story hits close to home as his father followed a similar path. 

"He was a recipient in 1969 and at that time His Royal Highness Prince Phillip would come to Canada and give the award out. So Kimberley, British Columbia is where I grew up and he came there in 1969 to give my dad his bronze award and he went on to finish his silver. 

"Then, he fell into a crowd with girls and got a car so he did not get his gold but it’s a highlight of his."

Find more information about the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.