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History of the Awards at TSS

The interest and active involvement in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards at TSS has gone through cycles of major involvement and ‘quiet’ periods since the Awards were first conducted in the school in the mid 1970’s.

D. of E. records reveal that TSS students, both as current students and old boys, have earned 103 Gold, 224 Silver, 339 Bronze and 208 Bridge Awards since 1976.

The dates the Gold Awards were awarded indicate the ‘busy’ periods for the Awards at TSS. After Euan Anderson became the first TSS Gold Award recipient in 1976, the late 1970’s and early 1980’s was the first ‘boom’ period, with nineteen students earning their Gold between 1977 and 1982, (ten in 1982).

The other ‘boom’ periods have been 1986, 1988-89, 1991 and since 1998. The relatively ‘quiet’ periods in between have involved the Gold Awardees and others working on their bronze and silver awards or have seen only a few students volunteering to be a part of the scheme.

2006 has been a "milestone" year as TSS participants achieved their 100th Gold Award and 36 participants have already earnt an award so far. Jason Munro also had the special experience of being one of four Queenslanders to be presented with his Gold by Prince Edward at a ceremony in Melbourne during the Commonwealth Games.

The record of the many expeditions, service, skills and physical recreation activities undertaken by our students shows great variety.

Some of the expeditions have involved cycling from Armidale to Toowoomba, and in coastal northern New South Wales; sailing from Mooloolaba to Southport, in the Great Sandy Straits and in Moreton Bay; bushwalking in the Great Dividing Range, McPherson Ranges, Tasmania, Europe, Africa and China; canoeing in southern Moreton Bay and Cooloola National Park; and following the Coomera River from source to sea by bushwalking, abseiling and canoeing.

Service activities have included cadets, Scouting leadership, surf lifesaving, first aid, animal rescue and care, State Emergency Service, community care, charity fundraising, sports coaching, aged people care and service work on Antarctic trips.

Skills have included debating, public speaking, music, speech and drama, video production, archery, manual arts, graphic arts, model construction, librarianship, reading, stamp collecting and theatre stage management.

Physical recreation activities have include all of the sports conducted at TSS plus karate, tae kwon do, golf, hockey, ten pin bowling and rifle shooting.

There has been one significant constant in the Awards over the years. The many articles written by students who attained their awards for the various TSS publications over the years all mention the enjoyment and benefit the boys have got from being involved in the awards and they all recommend others to get involved.

The awards are currently coordinated at TSS by Mr. Craig Humbley.

Page last modified 14-Aug-2007