Gold for Old Brentonians

Today, in Vancouver, His Royal Highness Prince Edward, met with Old Brentonians Kat Holland (2006) and Chloe Malinka (2008) at an awards ceremony held at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. The two young women received the Gold Level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award as a result of activities they completed while still students at Brentwood College. Kat and Chloe both completed different sea kayak journeys around Saltspring Island to fulfill the expedition component of this award while enrolled in Outdoor Pursuits. At the ceremony today they were both accompanied by family members, and Outdoor Pursuits teacher Dan Norman attended as well. In a 90-minute ceremony filled with royal protocols and pomp, His Royal Highness made every effort to talk personally with each of the approximately 120 young British Columbians who received their Gold Level Awards today. At the reception afterwards, Prince Edward lingered for more than 45 minutes to meet and talk with award recipients and their families. Although no cameras were allowed in the presence of Prince Edward (Mr. Norman and Mrs. Holland were both corrected by large security personnel when they attempted to find a Kodak moment), unofficial photo opportunities were encountered after the ceremony on the dais, still warm from His Royal Highness' warm and friendly presence.