The name of Jiří Svoboda at the Masaryk Grammar School in Příbor needs no introduction. He has been the DofE leader for three years now, and even though the Příbor Gymnasium only started DofE in 2019, thanks to Jiří Svoboda, 93 pupils have already joined and the interest is still growing.
As part of the celebration of the life and legacy of DofE founder Prince Philip, DofE UK Headquarters has launched a partnership with the Royal Mint to recognise 100 DofE leaders from around the world who have made the biggest impact on the programme and stand out above the rest. Jiri Svoboda is one of them. He received a letter of commendation from HRH Prince Edward - the youngest son of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain - and a special commemorative coin produced by the Royal Mint commemorating the life and legacy of Prince Philip.
,,Jiří is a great enthusiast. He is always inventing something new with his students, he is not afraid to plan foreign expeditions in cooperation with other schools. Recently, they went to the Kitzbühel Alps, where they climbed 960 metres of ferrata, or to Tenerife, where they climbed the highest mountain in Spain, Pico de Teide (3,718 metres above sea level). At the time of the schools' closure, he organised online meetings for the programme participants and motivated them to continue with the programme and keep working on themselves. With his knowledge and experience, he actively contributes to the debate on linking formal and non-formal education in schools. She definitely deserves the award for her above-standard commitment," says Veronika Ormaniecová, DofE Regional Manager for the Moravian-Silesian Region.
