Paving the Way: Fairholme's First Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awardee
October 30, 2025
After three years of dedication, discovery, and adventure, Year 11 student Rori Zimmerman, Fairholme’s first Duke of Edinburgh International Award Gold-level recipient, reflects proudly on a journey that has challenged her, connected her with others, and taught her valuable life skills along the way.
‘The Duke of Ed has four sections,’ Rori explains. ‘You have to do a skill, a physical recreation, a voluntary service, and Adventurous Journeys. For me, my skill has been piano, my sport has been netball, and my service has included a mix of different things – from Homework Help tutoring and
aged care service to, this year, serving as a Boarding Prefect.’
Each level of the Award – Bronze, Silver, and Gold – demands greater commitment and responsibility. ‘You need to dedicate at least an hour a week to each area. Bronze runs for 13 weeks, Silver for 26, and Gold for 52.
It’s a real test of consistency.’ The Gold level also requires a Residential Project, where participants spend 10 days in a foreign environment, giving back to a community. For Rori that opportunity came through the College’s Cambodia trip with RAW Impact.
Of all the components, however, the Adventurous Journeys stand out as both the most challenging and the most transformative. ‘For Bronze, it’s a one-day, two-night hike; for Silver, two nights and three days; and for Gold, three nights and four days.’
‘You’re out in the middle of nowhere with your maps, a leader, and everything you need on your back. It’s tough, but it’s where I’ve learnt the
most about myself.’ She laughs as she recalls some of those moments of endurance. ‘There were definitely times I didn’t want to keep going, but that’s where I’ve learnt not to give up when things get hard. I’ve also learnt skills that not many young people have these days, like reading a map and using a compass when there’s no phone service or Google Maps. It’s pretty cool to be able to say I can do that!’
Her Gold Adventurous Journeys were conducted through PCYC Gold Coast, where she had the chance to meet students from other schools. ‘I’ve made a really good friend from St Margaret’s. We went on our first Gold hike together on the Sunshine Coast Great Walk and bonded straight away. We then did our second Gold hike together at Maroon Dam during the holidays. The terrain was really challenging, but it was so rewarding.’
Reflecting on her experience, Rori encourages other Fairholme students to give the Duke of Edinburgh program a go. ‘I already did a lot of the activities that are part of the program, so it’s great to get recognition for the things I was already involved in,’ she says. ‘But beyond that, it’s a fantastic way to try new things, meet people, and learn life skills. I highly recommend it to anyone, especially if you want to push yourself and gain global recognition for your efforts.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a globally recognised framework for non-formal education, used by schools and community organisations for more than 60 years to celebrate the personal growth and achievements of young people.
As Fairholme’s first Gold Award recipient, Rori has set a high standard and opened the door for many others to follow in her footsteps.
If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Fairholme’s Duke of Edinburgh Co-ordinator, Mr Peyton for more information.
More News…
Fairholme College is delighted to welcome Mr Mitch Koina as our new Coordinator of High Performance Coaching. Bringing more than a decade of experience across diverse educational settings, Mitch joins the community with a strong commitment to student wellbeing, participation, and performance. ‘This is my 12th year of teaching,’ Mitch shares. ‘I’ve done a range of different contexts now, I did two years down at Lockyer District High School, I then spent six years at St Mary’s College before moving to St Josephs, where I’ve been for the last three years. Now obviously I’ve made my way over to Fairholme which I’m really excited about.’ It was both the College’s reputation and the scope of the role that drew Mitch to Fairholme. ‘Fairholme is a very prestigious college, it’s got a great name and reputation,’ he said. ‘The role itself is really exciting for me. I’ve got a passion for fitness and particularly looking after the wellbeing of young girls, whether that be on the sporting field or with their social aspect, academics, just all round developing good girls on and off the court.’ A strong advocate for pastoral care, Mitch brings valuable leadership experience to the position. ‘I did a Head of House role at St Mary’s for three and a half years, so pastoral care has always been my calling so it’s great to tie in the sporting aspect as well as wellbeing,’ he explained. His philosophy centres on the connection between student wellbeing and performance. ‘It’s all dependant on each other. If we’ve got girls who are happy and their wellbeing is flourishing, then they are doing well on the sporting field and vice versa too.’ Looking ahead, Mitch is focused on building both excellence and enjoyment within the program. ‘I would love to get participation rates very high. We have a lot of elite athletes here that I want to achieve and do really well, but I also want to work on girls enjoying their training, coming in and having a nice vibe around the sporting field and the training.’ Importantly, Mitch emphasises that success looks different for every student. ‘We’re not all Australian representatives, but if girls are working really hard and achieving to the best of their potential, whatever level that may be in the sporting arena, I think that’s a program we can be very proud of.’ As he begins his journey at Fairholme, Mitch is eager to connect with the community. ‘I’m really excited to be a part of Fairholme, it is a great opportunity. The staff and the students have been fantastic to me so far, but as the weeks go on, I’m really looking forward to getting to know the girls and building some relationships from there.’ We warmly welcome Mitch to Fairholme and look forward to the energy, care, and expertise he will bring to our High Performance Sports program.
What inspired you to apply for the Prefect for Sport position? I was inspired to go for this position as I have seen the passion that Fairholme as a community has for sport, and the true love and respect the staff have for athletes at the college. I wanted to work closely with the girls and staff to help progressing sport at Fairholme. Do you have a favourite sport? My favourite sport is touch football. It has given me so very much and I am forever grateful. What has been your proudest sporting moment so far? My proudest sporting moment so far was being fortunate enough to represent my country in the sport I love most. Who has been your biggest influence or role model in sport? My biggest role model in sport has to my parents. They never fail to push me towards things that might seem out of my comfort zone or scary. They constantly support me through everything and influence me to be the best version of myself on and off the field. What are you hoping to achieve this year as Prefect for Sport? I aim to inspire everyone to just have a go. By the end of my final year at Fairholme I hope I can inspire people to just get o ut of their comfort zones and try something new. What advice would you give your Year 7 self? I would tell my Year 7 self that in the big picture no one is going to judge you for trying your hardest and giving things ago! And not to put too much pressure on yourself! Do you hope to pursue sport after school? I wish to continue to play sport at a high level after school. whether that is through touch or rugby. Sport is a very important part of my life that will hopefully continue well after I leave school.
How long have you been involved in The Arts at Fairholme? Since I began here in Year 7, but before then I started playing piano and violin in Year 5. I have participated in a number of ensembles within the school and greatly enjoyed each of these. What does being the Prefect for The Arts mean to you? Personally, I think that being the Prefect for The Arts is primarily a role in which I can help to support other girls. I’m a designated person that girls can come to if they have any questions or concerns with anything regarding extracurricular artistic involvement, and I do a little to help with running some of the artistic aspects around the school, such as finding girls to volunteer for busking at events. But mostly, I think it is about being a positive promoter for the arts, and encouraging other girls to expand their world view to include creativity. Which art form do you enjoy most (e.g. music, drama, visual art, dance etc)? My main art form that I participate in is instrumental music, through my involvement in a few ensembles within the school on violin and piano. However, other art forms, like dancing during March Pasts or singing Shine Jesus Shine are pretty fun too. Do you have a most memorable Arts experience? I think that one of the most memorable Arts experiences that I have had has been at events where I have accompanied my grade, like when all the Year 11’s last year sung at the Valedictorian dinner and I played piano along with other instrumentalists in my grade, Tilly Anderson and Emma Salter. However, I think the most enjoyable Arts experience that I have had is playing Jingle Bell Rock at the boarding Christmas dinner last year, when the rest of my cohort stood around the piano singing. I felt that this was one of those excellent examples of how music can bring people together. What advice would you give to students who might be nervous about joining an arts activity? I would say that it is always worth giving something new a go. You’re much more likely to regret the chances you never took than the ones you do. I’m a strong believer that being involved in any form of extra-curricular activity is so beneficial for everyone; it expands your world view, you meet new people, and get outside your comfort zone. Each individual has something they are good at, and how are you going to find out what that is if you don’t try? Do you hope to continue with The Arts after school? Definitely. It has become such a big part of my life, and I honestly get so much enjoyment out of it. The great thing about the arts is that they are things that you can do at any time of your life. You’re never too old, that’s a skill you have for life. Other people can also get so much enjoyment out of the artistic abilities of others. Who doesn’t love to have someone who can sit around the camp-fire and play guitar, or create a beautiful piece of artwork?
