Chennai Public School Global's IAYP Bronze and Silver Adventurous Journey in Coorg

A group of participants from Chennai Public School Global recently joined us for their IAYP (International Award for Young People) Bronze and Silver Adventurous Journey in Coorg.

According to our Trek Leader Yashwant, the participants not only met but exceeded the requirements and expectations of the programme. 

One student, during a nature walk, reflected, “Whatever we do, we do it for ourselves. Whether saving bees or saving fig trees, it’s all for our benefit.” Their words resonated with the group’s growing awareness of how intertwined their well-being is with the environment’s health.

Yashwant and Vishal, our trek leaders, shared how touched they were, to see the impact of the Adventurous Journey on the participants when they raised how, more often than not, our attempts to “save the environment” do not come from a genuine love and concern for the planet that we share with other creatures.

Another student emphasised the beauty of hard work and resilience by sharing, “The harder the climb, the better the views. If we went up in a helicopter, we wouldn’t have savoured it so much.” The sentiment reflected their realisation that genuine achievement and fulfillment come through effort and perseverance.

The journey proved to be an incredible bonding experience. Students who often spent their meet-ups buried in their phones now found themselves cooking, chatting, trekking, and even playing games like UNO together. They noted that this was the first time they truly connected as a group while facing and overcoming various challenges together.

With continuous insights from our trek leaders about the natural world, the students became more conscious of the importance of conserving nature. What started as curiosity quickly grew into genuine admiration and love for the outdoors. 

They even handled instances, such as leech bites, with newfound resilience. While the initial panic was evident on the first day, by the last day, they remained calm, assured by sessions on insect bites and safety conducted by the trek leaders.

By the end of the journey, the students didn’t just earn their IAYP certifications; they gained invaluable life lessons about resilience, teamwork, and their relationship with the environment. 

More importantly, they left with a shared experience that brought them closer to nature and to each other.