A member of the Olds-based 185 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron has received a prestigious national award for carrying out an adventurous journey, learning a skill, keeping active and completing community service.Donald S. Ethell, Alberta's lieutenant-governor, presented Ryland Sturrock, a 15-year-old sergeant with the squadron, with the silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award during a ceremony at Edmonton's Government House on April 25.According to a media release, Sturrock received the award for “challenging himself by participating and planning a three day adventurous journey. He also spent 12 months learning a skill, being physically active, and completing community service.”The journey was a hiking and camping trip in Kananaskis Country, the skill was learning to drive and maintain a vehicle and the community service was carrying out yard maintenance at the homes of his grandmother, aunt and neighbours.“At every level of The Award - Bronze, Silver and Gold - and for every requirement - Community Service, Skill Development, Physical Activity, and Exploring the Environment - there is the opportunity to strengthen the participant's community through their personal involvement and development,” the release states.Sturrock, who has served with the cadets for four years, said he signed up to participate in the award program to broaden his horizons.“I thought it would be great to get out there and help the community and see the world,” he said.Prince Philip launched the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in 1956 and the program is based on the philosophy of personal empowerment of youth through engagement within the community.The award is a non-academic, self-directed program based on experiential learning and recognizing youth for activities they do outside the [email protected]
