The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is a voluntary programme for young people that supports them in their personal development, skills for future life and work and social skills. It is ranked as by far the most widespread programme in the field of non-formal education.
The philosophy of the DofE naturally resonates with Open Gate: both are founded on experiential education and developing the abilities of students themselves, as well as their capacities for cooperation, mutual understanding and tolerance. Self-reflection and self-evaluation are also key.
Young people set themselves individual goals and challenges in four areas
- Sport
- Skill Development
- Helping Others/Volunteering
- Expeditions
They strengthen their responsibility and perseverance, get to know and surpass themselves and acquire new skills. The DofE offers three levels of difficulty – bronze, silver and gold. By participating in the programme students become part of an international community, and some of them carry on promoting the programme at other schools even after attaining a gold award.
Our students fulfil all three levels of the award. Achieving Bronze Level usually takes three months. Students have the opportunity to apply for this award every February, provided that they are in their fifth, sixthor seventh year. Achieving Silver level takes six months. Students can apply if they have previously fulfilled the bronze level. Sixth- and seventh-year students can also apply in December. Only silver award holders can apply for Gold level and can do so in September at the beginning of their seventh year. Fulfilling all gold-level criteria is the most demanding and takes a year at the least.
Our school joined the program shortly after its inception and, from 2005 to this school year, our students have received 335 certificates for completing one of the levels.
Of course, all of these activities would not have been possible without the significant involvement of the school staff.
At Open Gate we currently have a team of 11 accredited DofE programme leaders.
News
News from the Duke of Edinburgh Award
As the school year is about to end, this year’s DofE activities are culminating, too. The nice spring weather is a signal for holding all the preparatory and qualification expeditions that are an essential (and the most popular) part of the programme
Gold Edie returns to the OPEN GATE after two years
The group - which two years ago in Romania earned the gold level of Duke of Edinburgh Award - has a new group of followers this year. Four brave and enduring septima students - Christine Hříbalová, Filip Chalupa, Susan Leopold and Nikola Chadimová - anticipating the culmination of their efforts to obtain similar rewards ie the Gold Certificate of Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Gold EDIE participants earn money
On Friday 18. 5. 2012 our EDIE group, which consisted of Filip Chalupa, Nikol Chadimová, Zuzka Leoploldová and Kristýna Hříbalová began its weekend trip to Kobylí.
Geocaching as a preparation for EDIE expedition
During the EDIE program we have learnt to use GPS navigation. To test our skills we used the network of hidden boxes called Geocaching.
