Young Inspiring Explorers™ Summit – June 2022
The Trust’s Young Inspiring Explorers™ Summit in June 2022 saw a group of 20 students, aged 11-14, from around New Zealand spend an action-packed weekend in Christchurch with the Trust and Inspiring Explorer William Pike.
The students visited the International Antarctic Centre, where they weathered an Antarctic storm, rode in a Hägglund, and met huskies and penguins up close. One of the highlights was a satellite link call with the US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station, when students connected with base personnel, including Trust alumna Sarah Bouckoms, and went on a virtual tour of the station, including a view outside into a -70°C frozen moonlit landscape.
They also learned what it is like to live at New Zealand’s Scott Base from the team at Antarctica New Zealand and visited Canterbury Museum, where they heard tales of the early Antarctic explorers’ hardships, achievements, and leadership, before exploring Christchurch’s Antarctic connections on a walking tour of the central city. Each student kept a journal detailing their experiences during the Summit, so they could share their learnings with their communities when they returned home.
The Summit was delivered in partnership with William Pike Challenge, and was supported by the US Embassy and Consulate in New Zealand.
Students during the Young Inspiring Explorers™ Summit, June 2022. © AHT/Jared Yeoward
