Duke of Edinburgh's Award recipients at Dubbo are reminiscing about some epic adventures during high school and receiving their honour from the duke himself.
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Five decades ago Shane Kilby was part of a group of teens to sign up to the youth development program established by Prince Philip.
She completed bike-riding and camping journeys and relished basketball along the way to receiving her gold badge - the award's highest level - from the duke when he visited Dubbo in 1973.
As Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is mourned across the world after his death on April 9 aged 99, Mrs Kilby says his youth initiative enhanced their school days.
She was Dubbo South High School Year 12 student Shane Grattan when her invitation to attend both the award presentation and the civic luncheon in the duke's honour arrived.
The royal guest's short visit to Dubbo featured an itinerary with a strong focus on the award.
About 13 or 14 young people had received the honour.
"I remember being very nervous and he was... a highly-respected person, and we were made to feel very special on the day, and certainly dressed up, got out the gloves and the hat, which all added to the ceremony of the occasion," Mrs Kilby said.
The award had been completed in stages across three years, becoming progressively more complex, but "there was a lot of fun involved" as well, the recipient said.
"...we did bike rides and camping and overnight adventures, which we planned, and then we were assessed as part of that," Mrs Kilby said.
The award has four sections - physical recreation, skills, voluntary service and adventurous journey.
"I've talked to some of my friends about their community service and they really got a lot of pleasure out of that aspect of the [award]," Mrs Kilby said.
She said of course she was saddened by the prince's death, but it was also a time to celebrate a man who had made "exemplary contribution to... our lives".
"So I think yes, sad, but you must, you have to celebrate this time he's had on Earth and he's shared with us, because he's been a man of duty and service and often in the background, always three steps behind," she said.
"But he forged a life and made a meaningful contribution to I'm not sure of the numbers, but I would have thought hundreds of thousands of young people have gone through this particular program.
"It's just a time to reminisce and I've been reminiscing with my friends and we've shared a few photographs, and our memories of the time when we shook his hand and a few funny stories have come up
"... So it's just a part of history now, but an interesting time growing up in Dubbo."
Prince Philip's funeral will take place on Saturday.
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