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Young Darwin Scholarship Summer Activities
12th September 2022

Congratulations to SFC1 (Year 12) students, Lily and Jeannie, who have been awarded the Young Darwin Scholarship 2022. During the summer, they attended a residential trip in Lancashire. Lily gives her report below:

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to attend a five-day residential trip in Preston under the Young Darwin Scholarship. In a nutshell, the scholarship provides an opportunity for those aged 16-17 to immerse themselves in the natural world, whether that be through practical work or conversing with specialists. Many of those in my group of 15 came to the scholarship with a rich understanding of biology and fieldwork, hoping to meet like-minded people. While I also applied for the scholarship in hope of this, my main reason was to gain a realistic insight into the world of ecology through first-hand experiences. 

The experience exceeded such expectations, with novel activities such as cave diving and bat spotting elevating my appreciation and interest in the natural world. Admittedly, I haven’t yet overcome my fear of bugs, with the odd spider or beetle that would somehow find its way into my dorm still summoning ‘trauma’ from my Bronze DofE days! But ultimately, the scholarship was a priceless experience that re-shaped my appreciation for nature; I would recommend it to any biology or geography student (take it from someone who erroneously thought they hated ecology). Although it was the place that provided the foundation for this learning experience, it was ultimately the people and friends I met that made it all the more worthwhile. 

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