Our top ‘junior’ reporter from Skegness scoops Duke award

Skegness Grammar School student Theo Griffiths was just 15-years-old when he approached the Skegness Standard to do work experience as a junior reporter as part of his Duke of Edinburgh Award. The historic relevance of it being one of the last awards begun while the Duke was still alive was not known at the time but Theo welcomed every challenge – always meeting deadlines and even grabbing the front page spot. It wasn’t at all surprising when he told us he had been successful in achieving his award. Here is his story:

Theo Griffiths with his Duke of Edinburgh Award.

My name is Theo Griffiths, and I have received my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, thanks to the help of Lincolnshire World, Skegness Standard and Chrissie Redford.

I started writing for the Skegness Standard back in February 2020, when COVID-19 first emerged. It was clear that what was happening around the world was going to be a very big story.

I’ve always had an interest in journalism and the media, and having worked with Chrissie on articles in my capacity at the campaign group Lincolnshire Climate Conscious Students, I believed we were the perfect match.

As a dyslexic, writing has always been a challenge for me, but I was given clear direction and was able to quickly grow and improve.

Seeing my stories make the front page was especially rewarding. One of my most memorable articles was about a student from another local school who had been sent home for not wearing the a new uniform. Another described passengers being stranded on a rollercoaster.

Stories during the pandemic focused on supporting local communities, and I reported on a variety of issues including school closures due to Covid-19 cases.

Working with the Standard for my DofE Award assisted with the Skills module I needed to complete. Without the help of the Standard and their valuable experience, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve a Grade 9 in English Literature and a Grade 8 in English Language in my recent GCSE’s. The experience and confidence gained has certainly helped in the world of employment too.

The Duke of Edinburgh award is particularly important for young people, encouraging them to get outdoors and support the local community.

Thankfully, in spite of the Duke’s death, it is still able to continue its amazing work.