Two Wellingtonians Earn First Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Awards

Rundi is a founding pupil at Wellington, joining the College 11 years ago as a Year 2 pupil. He has grown to become a standout pupil in computer science, and this year was even honoured as an Academic Scholar.

He traces his interest in DofE back to a Year 9 trip to Chongming Island, where he discovered a love of nature and a desire to explore the wilderness. Several years later, on a school trip to Hainan, he fell in love with the natural scenery of the tropics. That's when he decided that for his capstone Gold Expedition, he would organise a multi-day cycling trip that would take him and his classmates from the north side of the island to the south. 

"Cycling was hard enough by itself, but the hardest part is where you're in the middle, when you're at that point when you've gone too far to turn back, but your destination is still far away. That's when I asked myself, 'Can I really do this?'" Rundi recalls.

He persisted, of course, along with some help from his team. Teamwork is essential on a DofE Expedition; if one person drops out, everyone fails. Rundi remembers how they pulled together, cheering each other on and helping the less experienced cyclists to conquer every stage.

What drove him? A determination to do something extraordinary. "Do something that will leave a mark on your life," he says.

Lena joined Wellington Shanghai in Year 5 from a local school, and she has taken our 'Be You. Be More' ethos to heart.

"Whether in academics or extracurriculars, I want to complete the highest level possible. I want to achieve my very best," she says.

It was her five-day Expedition to the Tengger Desert that really tested her resolve.

"At one point, we had to climb a very high sand dune, the kind where the sand will drag you back down," says Lena. "I found myself collapsing on the ground. I didn't have time to think about it. My team really motivated me. If I didn't get to the top, then our whole team would fail!"

"Gold is not easily earned," shares DofE Coordinator Angela Tang, "it typically takes 18 months or more of consistent effort across five demanding areas."

To achieve gold both Rundi and Lena completed activities in 5 areas:

This commitment runs through our wider programme of experiences. From Year 9 onwards, pupils take part in Educational Excursions that build independence and global perspective—journeys that prepare them for challenges like DofE. This year's capstone EdVenture will take pupils to Iceland and Norway in February 2026.