On a Philly high school visit, Duke of Edinburgh praises 'pioneers' embarking on a youth awards program named in his honor

Kristen A. Graham, The Philadelphia Inquirer on May 2, 2025

Published in Lifestyles

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PHILADELPHIA -- Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Wednesday commended 160 Philadelphia students as “pioneers.”

Pupils at four Philadelphia School District high schools have enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award — the first from any big-city district in the U.S. to take on the challenge.

The award, founded by the duke’s father, Prince Philip, in 1956, encourages young people ages 14 through 24 to complete projects outside of the classroom centering on volunteerism, physical recreation, skills, and expedition. Those who reach goals can win bronze, silver, or gold honors.

Visiting Constitution High on Wednesday, the royal of the hour had warm words for the initial cohort of Philadelphia students, who join youth from 143 other countries in pursuing the honor. (The other participating Philadelphia schools are Bodine High School for International Affairs, Masterman, and Parkway Center City Middle College.)

“We like trailblazers, and we’re thrilled that you guys have decided to take on the challenge,” said the duke, the youngest child of the late Queen Elizabeth II and currently 15th in line to the throne.

For a handful of Constitution High students chosen to meet with the duke, the program is promising, they said, but Wednesday’s visit was surreal.

When Chance Menard heard that a real-life royal was coming to his high school, he thought it was a joke at first.

“I was confused,” said Menard, an 11th-grader. “I said, ‘What is going on, this is not real.’ I thought it was a daydream.”

The duke earned high praise from the teens, laughing with them, reassuring a student who stumbled over his title.

“I thought he was amazing, actually,” said Cavance Snaith, a Constitution senior. “I thought he was down-to-earth. I didn’t realize he was that humble.”

Life contains “two absolute inevitables,” the duke said. “You will meet challenges, and you’ll meet opportunities, and it doesn’t matter what career you do, whatever you choose, those are the two things that you’ll end up facing at some point. This award gives you the skills to deal with those challenges when they come along, because we’re going to challenge you now.”

Examples of the projects students might tackle as part of the award include: ballroom dancing, DJing, volunteering with senior citizens, and studying constellations. But the duke stressed that the program was the students’ own.

“The most important thing is: this is fun,” the duke said. “This is all about the things that you want to do. So long as you have fun doing it, that is absolutely brilliant.”

Prince Edward himself undertook the award program as a youth — he proudly pointed to the gold pin on his suit jacket lapel denoting the honor — and said it taught skills that are more important in some ways than those learned from books.

“When you come to do your first job interview, I guarantee they’re not going to ask you a thing about what you did at school in terms of what you did in the classroom, but they will ask you, they will ask you what your experiences are and what you did outside and where and what all the additional things you’ve done,” the duke said.

Jermaine Dawson, Philadelphia deputy superintendent for academics, was the architect of the district’s program. He said he was particularly excited about the idea of students discovering firsthand that “there’s a world that’s bigger than what they have ever experienced,” Dawson said.

Growing up in Atlanta, Dawson experienced homelessness, but through school had the chance to participate in a program that gave him international exposure. He wants the same experience for Philadelphia’s students, many of whom also live in poverty and struggle with housing insecurity.

“I am in this role because of that experience so many years ago,” Dawson said.

After the meeting, Jamaal Wright, a Constitution 10th-grader, said the duke was welcome back any time.

“He was trying to relate to us,” said Wright. “He’s helping people not only in Philly, but all around the world.”