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3 New grad receives award ST. JEROME'S STUDENT Kristine Gordon had a rare opportunity recently to rub elbows with royalty. On April 12, 1993, Gordon was one of 67 young men and women from across Ontario to receive a prestigious Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award of Achievement, presented in London (Ontario) by Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II. Initiated by Prince Philip in the United Kingdom in 1956 as a balance to classroom education, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award was introduced to Canada in 1963, and is now operating in 47 countries worldwide. The programme is open to all able, disabled, and disadvantaged youth between the ages of 14 and 25, and has three levels: bronze, silver and gold. To earn an award, a participant must undertake a balanced programme of activities and reach self-determined goals in four important areas of self-development. These include voluntary service, a skill or hobby, physical fitness, and an outdoor expedition. A graduate of Forest Heights Collegiate in Kitchener, Gordon has been working through the various levels of the programme since the age of 14. In the area of voluntary service, the majority of her involvement has been in the Guiding movement. "Guiding has always been a large part of my life," says Gordon. "After Brownies and Girl Guides, I went on to Rangers - for 14-19 year olds and after that I decided to become a leader. I owe a lot of credit to my Ranger leader, Lorraine Green, who really encouraged me to continue in Guiding." Currently, Gordon and Green are co-leaders of the 1st Donnacona Rangers in Kitchener. Approximately 120 hours of volunteer service are required to earn a Gold Award. In addition to her work in Guiding, Gordon's qualifications for the award included a five-day camping trip on the Bruce Trail, learning to play the guitar, learning to read and write Portuguese (she already speaks it fluently after a Rotary exchange in Brazil during high school), and being involved in swimming and aerobics. Gordon actually completed her Gold Award programme in 1991. "The sixty-seven recipients represented all those who met the qualifications sometime over the past three years," she explains. "I tried to time the completion of my award so that I would get to meet a member of the Royal Family. I guess it worked!" In the event that a royal doesn't come for the presentation, the awards are given out by the Governor General. As for the actual awards ceremony at London's Sheraton Armouries Hotel, Gordon found it quite exciting. "There were all sorts of rules of protocol," she says. "For instance, as young women we were told that after receiving our awards we could either curtsy or do a 'neck bow'. And there were different rules if you were in uniform or wearing a long or short skirt. In the end I think I just sort of bobbed my head! It was all over very quickly." In recognition of her achievement, Gordon received a certificate and a solid gold brooch bearing the Duke of Edinburgh's insignia. According to Gordon, Prince Edward is very friendly and approachable. Both she and her parents got a chance to speak to him informally during a reception of scones, clotted cream and other British goodies. Gordon feels that the Prince is a good choice to present the awards, not only because he is young, but also because he can speak from experience, having completed the award programme himself. Now officially graduated from the Honours History programme at St. Jerome's as of May 27, Gordon is spending her summer in the Northwest Territories working as a pool /aquatics supervisor. Next fall, she will be going to Lakehead University in Thunder Bay to prepare for a teaching career at the junior-intermediate level. "Ideally," she says, "I'd like to establish a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Club in whichever school I end up teaching in. The self-development of youth is very important, and I'd like to encourage and help as many young people as possible to benefit from the programme as I have." The following is Father Finn's reply - in pure Finn style - to those who gathered on May 7, 1993 to honour his contributions to St. Jerome's College by the official naming of the J.R. Finn Residence. I accept this honour in the name of all those faculty and staff members who were the pioneers and founders, back in the 60s and 70s, of St. Jerome's College as we know it now. St. Jerome's back in those days had a rocky beginning. At one time we had a bank overdraft of $111,000. I dared not tell the faculty, lest they all take off for other teaching jobs. Conventional words of thanks are not enough to tell you my intimate feelings on this occasion. For all the good accomplished by the College and the privilege of having a part in it and of meeting so many young men and women - Deo Gratias. For all the failures and faults - Miserere mei. For all that will be - Amen, Alleluia. The new sign indicating the J.R. Finn Residence (formerly the Men's Residence), situated, as Father Finn joked, "high enough up so the monkeys can't get at it."