By ALANA MITCHELSON
Earlier this year Savannah Gill challenged herself to swim across the English Channel, leading her to claim the esteemed Duke of Edinburgh achievement at the Gold level.
The 18-year-old Geelong Grammar student, who has just completed her final high school year, has spent hours of community service, and has devoted her own time to a number of school projects and extracurricular activities to surpass the Bronze and Silver requirements and excel in fields across the board.
Before undertaking the relay swim in England, Miss Gill was a confident swimmer but had never swum competitively.
Her team of seven, consisting of students from various year levels, began training in September last year in preparation for the relay swim during the June holiday period across the English Channel.
Miss Gill swam two hour-long legs, with the team starting at 4am, and took it in turns to swim continuously until about 6pm in the evening.
“It was one of the most rewarding and demanding experiences I’ve ever had. That feeling of successfully reaching the French shore was one of absolute elation and exhaustion,“ she said.
“I felt like the training really built my physical stamina. It was more of a mental battle than anything.
“There were so many times while I was in the water when I just thought I couldn’t do it, especially in the last 10 minutes.
“But then I’d look up at all the grinning faces in the boat cheering me on and it gave me the energy to keep going.”
She said she was thinking of pursuing biomedical engineering or medicine, and that the Gold award helped her realise what she can achieve and raised her expectations of herself.
Miss Gill along with Geelong students Ronald Bunker from Wallington and Emma Threadgold from Torquay will be presented their awards at the Gold Award Gala in Melbourne at the Grand Hyatt on 5 December.
Mr Bunker volunteered with the CFA as part of his Duke of Edinburgh.
“I have improved my team and leadership skills and have a better understanding of the generous effort community service workers put in. I was also given the opportunity to meet new people and establish new friendships.“
Miss Threadgold said the service component was significant in fostering a sense of community.
“This Award has allowed my self-confidence, determination and perseverance to grow,“ she said.
Established in 1963, the Duke of Edinburgh is an internationally recognised and leading achievement award for young people.
