The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Young Canadians Challenge is an exciting self-development program available to young people, equipping them with life skills to make a difference to themselves, their communities and their country. The award is one of individual challenge, offering a balanced, non-competitive program of voluntary activities which encourages personal discovery, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility to oneself and service to community. There Award has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, each with an increasing degree of commitment. Within each level there are four sections—Service, Expeditions, Skills, and Physical Recreation.

All LCC students entering grade 9 are registered in the challenge. They are then encouraged to complete their log book and fulfill the requirements of the Bronze Award. This includes an overnight “Adventurous Journey,” pursuing a skill for a period of at least six months, completing 30 hours of physical activity over at least fifteen weeks, and 15 hours of service over at least six months. Support and advice is given in regular meetings and most students at the school complete the requirements for the Bronze Award.

Upon completion of the Bronze Award, LCC continues to offer support in fulfilling the more stringent requirements of the Silver and Gold levels. There are silver expeditions offered in the fall and spring of each year, and several gold expeditions are offered throughout the year. These have included hiking expeditions in India and New Zealand and dog sledding in Gatineau Park. It must be noted that this program focuses on student initiative and leadership—the preparation and planning of trips and the fulfillment of all other criteria for the awards is student led.

LCC is the most active school in Quebec in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program and, as of June 2012, over 463 bronze, 273 silver, and 122 gold awards have been earned by LCC students and recent alumni.