Sarah strikes Gaisce Gold

A NORTHSIDE woman’s dedication to a programme that fosters and develops young people’s potential has paid rich dividends.

Sarah Kelly, from Marino, was among the Dubliners who recently received the Gaisce – The President’s Award at a ceremony in Dublin Castle.

Sarah was first introduced to the Gaisce Award during Transition Year and went on to achieve both her Bronze and Silver Awards while in secondary school.

The Gaisce Award opened her eyes to a world of adventure and challenges and after a short break to accommodate her studies, Sarah decided to challenge herself and undertake the Gold Award.

The five Gaisce Participant Goals were Community Involvement, Physical Recreation, Personal Skill, Adventure Journey and Residential Project.

For her Community Involvement she chose to be a Beaver Leader. She has been a member of the 1st Dublin Fairview Scout Troop since she was 10-years-old. Sarah was the new leader in the troop where she taught children basic scouting skills.

While Sarah knew how to swim, she wasn’t particularly confident in the water. To increase her fitness and confidence in water she chose swimming as her Physical Recreation goal. After 40 weeks of swimming, Sarah, who swam at Trinity College, improved her own fitness, lost weight and felt healthier.

For her Personal Skill goal, Sarah chose to advance her skills in first aid through the Order of Malta. The Order of Malta teaches first aid skills and offers a chance for people to gain experience in the area.

As well as providing First Aid Training, the Order of Malta works within the community in the areas of transport and assistance with the elderly and ill. Sarah was awarded a citation for her community work with the organisation.

While visiting her cousin in Australia, Sarah decided that she would hike along the Brisbane coastline in Moreton Island National Park. As part of her Adventure Journey, she hiked 84km over a four-day period. It was a very difficult challenge especially given that temperatures in Australia are a lot higher than what Sarah was accustomed to in Ireland.

For her Residential Project, Sarah, along with other leaders from the troop, brought her Beaver Cubs on a week long summer camp to Petersburg Outdoor Education Centre, Galway.

The summer camp was a great success where the children discovered new interests, learned about water safety and how to respect the environment.