The squealing sounds of saws and the smell of wood dust filled the shop at Philadelphia Woodworks in Manayunk, where artisans make everything from dressers to bowls.
At his workstation, Roman McNichols, 16, sawed slabs of wood into usable cuts of lumber.
“My favorite is cedar, it smells like Christmastime,” he said. “Poplar smells pretty bad. But when they all mix together, it can be comforting when you walk in, you smell the sawdust, it puts me at ease.”
When Roman said he would “rather do woodworking” than play club sports, his mother took him literally, and signed him up for woodworking classes. Today, the Philadelphia teen loves problem solving as he perfects his craft.
He’s dedicated several hours a week at the shop, and has made everything from a dipping bowl to a chair.
“I just put on some music, and I just go,” Roman said. “Sometimes it’s stressful if I mess something up because wood’s expensive, but when I’m in the process it’s restful.”
He was one of several teens from the Philadelphia region to receive medals from the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award on Wednesday. The international youth program rewards teens and young adults for certain endeavors outside the classroom — for Roman, that includes his dedication to woodworking.
“Having this recognition is just beyond what I could have asked for,” he said.
Founded in 1956 by Prince Phillip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, the program encourages personal development through community service, outdoor recreation, sports and special skills.
During an awards ceremony at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, honored several teens who have accomplished everything from camping in the Appalachian Mountains, to building a robot.
As a working royal, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip promotes the benefits of nonformal education and represents the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.
“I hope that you feel that the award has made a little bit of difference to you, and I hope you’ll go on making a difference to others around you,” Prince Edward told the teens. “As you leave this room, just walk a few inches taller, and feel a bit proud of what you have done.”
The ceremony was just one stop during the Prince’s two-day trip to Philadelphia, which included a dedication ceremony for the Bicentennial Bell, and tours and discussions at Philadelphia Youth Basketball and Temple University.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, which currently enrolls more than 1.3 million kids and young adults across 130 countries, rewards participants with bronze, silver and gold medals as they reach certain milestones within the program.
The participants are required to dedicate a certain number of hours in the discipline of outdoor recreation —known as the “Adventurous Journey” — as well as physical fitness, community service and skills.
Graduates of the program include valedictorians at prestigious universities, and even award-winning actors — from Hugh Jackman to Benedict Cumberbatch. The program also offers a networking opportunity as alumni have the opportunity to connect with award recipients from around the world.
“Our view is that not all learning takes place in the classroom,” said Suzanne J. Currie, CEO of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award for the United States. “We believe it’s really the experience that’s developed after school that really adds to a student’s ability to improve their mental health, physical health, build meaningful connections and give back to their communities.”
The teenagers who received awards this week are students of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School, a nonprofit with international ties that offers active learning expeditions in the outdoors. Founded by one of Prince Phillip’s teachers, Kurt Hahn, Outward Bound is one of 34 organizations in the U.S. licensed to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.
Victoria D’Ulisse, 18, was one of two teenagers to receive a Gold award — the highest honor one can receive. The West Chester teen spent 18 months devoted to the program, which took her on the adventure of a lifetime exploring the Florida Everglades on a kayak.
However, the endeavor closest to D’Ulisse’s heart is volunteering for a charity she founded in memory of her father, who passed away from leukemia. D’Ulisse donates baskets to thank the nurses who once let her play “doctor” around the hospital, and made her flowers out of straws.
The teen also provides care packages that help patients feel mentally stimulated while hospitalized.
“I really just want to see that the environment in a hospital becomes more positive, that it’s not all about medicine, about creating that better mental environment,” D’Ulisse said. “And when I do drop off stuff for the nurses, it’s so rewarding to see their faces. They’re so excited.”
Wednesday night’s award recipients said the program helped them achieve their goals because it holds them to account.
When Gaia Bhullar picked up the upright bass for the first time, she didn’t know how to hold the bow, where to place her fingers or even how to hold the instrument — which is taller than her. But less than a year later, the 15-year-old from Philadelphia is playing in her school orchestra.
“I’m actually really proud of myself,” said Gaia, who received a Bronze award. “I didn’t even know how to play a string instrument. I never thought I’d be playing this, and here I am.”
Gaia, who also plays soccer, said the requirement to log certain hours forced her to become more motivated, and ultimately boosted her confidence.
Her sister, Malaika Bhullar, 17, is close to achieving a Silver award. She said the program has helped her focus on running.
“I did track in high school, but aside from that, I would not really keep up with running. I’d kind of just slack off, and if it wasn’t part of the track season, I wouldn’t actually go for a run at all,” said Malaika, who also plays piano. “But with the program … I’ve pushed myself to run two to four miles and pushed my pace every time.”
For the community service component of the program, the girls help their older neighbors Pam and Gresham Riley whenever they need. Pam, who has dementia, said the sisters have provided comfort.
“I don’t have any daughters, I have sons. So, these are the ones I wanted and didn’t get,” Riley said with a smile. “What they supply is friendship, affection, laughs. And the nicest thing about them is they never treat me as if I have dementia — never. They just treat me like I’m a regular person.”
Ritam Chakraborty, student engagement and alumni manager at the Philadelphia Outward Bound School, said he is proud of the teens’ growth. He said attending Wednesday’s award ceremony was a special experience.
“It was really cool to see other people acknowledge their efforts — a lot of time they spent behind the scenes doing something for themselves — is really the cherry on top to get recognized in a more public, celebratory way,” Chakraborty said.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program is expanding in the Philadelphia region this fall. During his trip to Philadelphia, Prince Edward also visited Constitution High School in Center City, which is among four Philadelphia district high schools to enroll this year. Forty students across the district will begin the program in September.
Constitution High School Principal Brianna Dunn-Robb said she’s excited her students will be recognized for the work they do in the community.
“[The program] not only aligns with our academic program, but it talks about the essential life skills that students will take with them post-secondary,” she said. “It talks about teamwork, leadership and problem solving, time management, and communication and empathy — some of those soft skills that we don’t necessarily always measure within academic grading.”
