GDST girls around the world- travel scholarships 2018

The Oakley Award was founded by Mr Michael Oakley, the former chief executive of the Girls’Day School Trust, to offer financial assistance to GDST students embarking on a project thatrelates to their ongoing career or study developments. Talya spent the month of July volunteering in Quepos, Costa Rica, working on women’s impowerment and teaching English.

“This experience gave me so much. It was one of the hardest but best things I have ever done. I lived with complete strangers in a house. Shared a dorm with 4 girls, cooked for myself and others, budgeted, persevered and found out I have skills I always assumed I never had.

I am already missing the friendly people of Costa Rica, the women and students, the house dog Padme. But I know this will not be my last volunteering trip, I am already saving for the next one.”

To read more about Talya’s experience, click here: https://www.gdst.net/article/gdst-girls-around-world-talya-sher

Last summer, Macy travelled to the small town of Ubud in Bali to teach English in a local primary school. Macy has always been interested in international development studies, and wanted make an impact on the lives of the children she worked with.

“The overall experience not only allowed me to be able to teach children, but also taught me to believe in myself and trust my own judgement. The skills I gained will be valuable in the future and seeing how excited the children where everyday was something I will never forget. On the whole the experience was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.”

To read more about Macy’s work, click here: https://www.gdst.net/article/gdst-girls-around-world-macy-guimaraes

In the summer of 2018 Olivia travelled to Cambodia to volunteer in a local primary school on Silk Island, an island outside the capital Phnom Penh. Her role was to provide primary care to the disadvantaged children on the island, to allow their parents the opportunity to head into the city and earn to provide for their families.

“The trip truly was a life-changing experience, and we are extremely grateful to the GDST for helping us to fund this incredible trip.”

As a keen hsitory and politics student, Ellen Birdson went to Berlin and Krakow in the summer of 2018 to further her knowledge of European history and how it affects the world today.

“Our experience of the cultural and historical aspects of both Berlin and Krakow will stay with me indefinitely, but they were not the only things I learnt more about from travelling. In just a week from now I will make my endeavour to university, and I have undoubtedly become better equipped to tackle the challenges I will surely face over the coming years. Admittedly, one of the more challenging parts of my travels was successfully using the laundrettes abroad- which took several attempts. My trip has adjusted my overly enthusiastic perception of budgeting and taught me to never take for granted Google maps. Most of all, I think that my travels helped me to develop a great capacity to socialise, which will certainly be put to use as I start university. All in all, my trip was so much more than I had anticipated; it was interesting and challenging in more ways than I could have imagined, and I am extremely grateful to the GDST for supporting me. The experience allowed me to build on what I have learnt at BHSA, as well as teaching me skills I could not possibly have learnt in the classroom. I am excited to continue history and politics at university and I will be sure to take any opportunity I get to travel again.”

Ellen’s full report can be found here: https://www.gdst.net/article/gdst-girls-around-world-ellen-bridson

Katie attended the Cheltenham Composer’s academy, and received tuition in Violin, composition, as well as listening to world premieres of music and watching rehearsals of prestigious ensembles.

“I woud like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank everyone involved with the Aline Cholmondeley Travel Award. It really helped me to fulfill these wonderful experiences. They propelled me in to a field of current professionals who will be colleagues for live; building a network like is invaluable and you never know when it will come into its own! It was a summer of inspiration and dedication. I experienced an incredible learning curve that placed me in a great mindset to begin the term at The Juilliard School.”

Katie has written more about her incredible learning journey here: https://www.gdst.net/article/gdst-girls-around-world-katie-jenkins

The Dr Lucy Campion Scholarship was  founded by The Friends from money bequeathed by Dr Campion (died 1985), a medical practitioner who was educated at Sydenham and Bromley High Schools . This scholarship is intended for studenst of medical or pharmaceutical studies. These studies have to be part of the proposed degree course but do not have to be incorporated into the applicants’ travel plans. Anna Eason is now in her first year of studying medicine,and found that the imbalance of care people received in Marrakesh made her very grateful for the NHS service:

“On the walk to the centre each morning wewould walk past a homeless man who had unfortunately lost both of his legs. It seemedunjust for there to be such a massive difference in the care given to the children and tothat man, both of whom were disabled. It made me reflect upon our NHS and how luckyour country is to have it. It excites me as I have now begun my journey in medical schoolto one day be part of our NHS… This trip was something that I will not experience again and I am incrediblygrateful to the GDST to have received the scholarship allowing this to be possible.”

Anna talks about her memories from this trip in more detail here: https://www.gdst.net/article/gdst-girls-around-world-anna-eason