Time is Ticking to Complete the Duke of Ed Program!

With the end of the school year approaching fast, there's one important date every Duke of Edinburgh participant needs to have on their radar: May 31. That's the deadline to complete your current Award level and receive your certificate and pin before the school year wraps up. Whether you're finishing up your Voluntary Service hours, logging your final Physical recreation sessions, or putting the last touches on your Skills section, now is the time to push through. You've put in the work! Don't let it sit unfinished over the summer.

Now, if you're not sure exactly where you stand or what's left to complete, that's completely fine, but find out soon. Mr. Korol is available to sit down with you and walk through what's remaining. Whether you need a quick check-in or a full game plan, the support is there. Just reach out before it's too late.

And, if you need extra motivation to see this through, the program you're part of is making national headlines. A recent Globe and Mail feature highlighted how Award Canada is expanding its experiential learning framework into public high schools, colleges, and apprenticeship programs across the country, from the Maritimes all the way to BC. What’s the driving idea behind it? Making personal growth accessible to every young person in Canada. The piece also noted that the Duke of Edinburgh Award is non-competitive and open to youth of all abilities and backgrounds, which, honestly, is what makes it so refreshing. It's not about being the best at something; it's about showing up consistently for yourself and your community. 

Educators across Canada are seeing the results firsthand. Students thrive when they see themselves as capable learners and, when their confidence grows, their engagement and connection to school deepen. That's not just an abstract idea. That's what happens when you commit to something, log the hours, and watch it add up over time. Whether it's volunteering every week, practicing an instrument at 7am, or completing an Adventurous Journey in the backcountry, the Award has a way of showing you what you're actually capable of. 

I know how this feels. This is my last year at the school, and the Duke of Ed community has genuinely meant a lot to me. As I mentioned, it's non-competitive. You work toward your own personal goals while helping others and feeling good about yourself along the way. With just over a month left in my WPGA tenure, it's a bittersweet thing to reflect on. This is a space I've been proud to be part of for four years. But I know that the lessons I've taken from it—the feeling of completion, and of being part of something bigger than myself—will stick with me long after graduation.

Here at WPGA, we're lucky to have a strong Duke of Ed community and a coordinator who genuinely wants to see students cross the finish line. So, if May 31 feels far away, trust me, it isn't. Log those hours, and if you have any questions, Mr. Korol is happy to help.

Thanks for all the memories, Duke of Ed—and I hope to see you all succeed, too!