Truro teen wins silver Duke of Edinburgh Award

TRURO, N.S. —  For Julia Deuville, perseverance meant carrying half her body weight on her back as she hiked up a hillside far from home.
She grasped the true meaning of the word on a four-day hike across the forests of southern Ontario. It was the final and greatest challenge to overcome before she completed her Duke of Edinburgh’s silver award.
“It gave me a sense of independence after I did it,” said Deuville, from Truro. “I feel accomplished, it took a long time, was a lot of hard work, but I’m really glad I did it.”
Deuville, 17, was formally presented with her silver award certificate in Halifax on Oct. 16, by Lieutenant-Governor Arthur J. LeBlanc. She was the only Truro-area youth to receive the honour.
She first signed up for the award program about 18 months ago. Long before she completed her adventure hike, Deuville had to carry out volunteer work, develop a personal skill and build up her fitness. 
To do so, Deuville volunteered with the Special Olympics program in town, training swimmers at the Rath-Eastlink Community Centre in Truro once a week. She also worked on music theory for her skill and did modern dance, tap and jazz for her fitness training.
Deuville’s Special Olympics work was particularly rewarding, as she saw her athletes progress. Her mother, Erin, noticed the change in her daughter.
“You’d come home so proud that a swimmer athlete you’d been working with had advanced in their technique,” said Erin to Julia.
As she had not taken a bronze award, Deuville had to work on her three personal development categories over a period of one year. Had she completed a bronze award, the requirements are only six months.
Only then was she able to complete her adventurous journey or expedition, which she did through Outward Bound Canada. Her four-day hike was one day more than the minimum required for a silver award.
The summertime journey took her across the Niagara Escarpment. The group trekked between campsites, at one point, finding themselves on a ski hill. Typical distances were five to eight km per day.
Deuville and her group stayed clean by bathing in lakes, a far cry from what she is used to at home in Truro. Nor was there any social media or Internet access.
“It’s a way to really put yourself out there and try something you wouldn’t have done otherwise,” said Deuville. “It gave me a sense of independence after I did it. I was away from technology for four days and it was a reminder that it’s better to connect with people face to face, rather than through a screen.”
With her silver certificate in hand, Deuville plans to set her sights on a gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award soon.
She says having the Duke of Edinburgh Award on her resume will help her when seeking employment, university placement, or a scholarship.