They camped in temperatures as low as -27 degrees Celsius.
They traversed a frozen glacier and trekked wilderness previously untouched by humans.
They climbed a mountain and named it after one of their own.
Braeview Academy pupil Jamie Brady said: “It’s one of the best things any of us has ever done.”
A group of pupils from the Dundee secondary school are the latest Polar Academy graduates.
The life-changing scheme sees young people push their boundaries and build their confidence by trekking through Arctic Greenland.
Braeview Academy was chosen for Polar Academy 2024 with Bucksburn Academy, Aberdeen.
Highlights of a trip-of-a-lifetime
The pupils selected for the team trained intensively for 18 months, both physically and mentally.
And in March 11 of them and depute head teacher Fiona McPherson finally arrived at their remote destination in Greenland after two days of travel.
Now back at school, the Braeview group shared some of their photos (below) and highlights of the trip-of-a-lifetime with us.
Ellis Milne, 15, said Greenland felt like a distant concept right until they stepped off the plane in Kulusuk.
She said: “That’s when it actually felt real, when I processed what we were actually doing.”
From there, they travelled by helicopter Polar Academy base in the town of Tasiilaq.
We are just teenagers from Scotland; we didn’t think we could go on a Polar Academy. But we’ve done it.”
After two days of preparations they set off into the wilderness.
The temperature was minus six degrees when they arrived, but at its coldest plunged to minus 26 – inside their tents!
Jamie said: “It was so cold we couldn’t go walking that day, we just had to stay at camp.
“But because we had so many layers on it could feel colder just standing about in Scotland.”
They were grateful for their polar sleeping bags which remain cosy to minus 40 degrees!
When they set off hiking they were well prepared with lots of layers and specialist clothing. Being too hot was more of a risk than being too cold.
They trekked over an expanse of frozen sea, with ice 2.5 metres thick, climbed unnamed mountains and saw icebergs and the Northern Lights.
They also traversed a glacier. “That was so cool!” said Ellis.
Polar bear footprints
Each night they erected a polar bear fence to protect their camp from the predators. Thankfully all they saw of the beasts was a set of footprints reckoned to be six weeks old.
The fencing was towed in their sledges – known as pulks – along with tents, stoves and food.
“That was weird,” said Jamie. “It’s not not like you would have to pack a polar bear fence for school!”
While there, the group conducted experiments for St Andrews and Oxford universities.
They also left a permanent reminder of Braeview on Greenland by naming a mountain Mount Rayne after one of the group, Rayne Coutts.
And for Jamie, that peak was among the highlights.
He said: “We had days where we base-camped, where we would just go out exploring without sledges.
“We went up mountains. When we went up Mount Rayne that was the best moment for most people.”
Craig explained: “From the summit you can see the Greenland ice cap and there are 360 mountain ranges. It is incredible.”
On their return Rayne, 16, was named Polar Academy graduate of the year for going above and beyond to help others.
The experience has left an indelible mark on all the pupils.
Jamie said: “It makes you not take what you have here for granted.
“When you are out there you don’t have any of things we have here and it’s amazing. You don’t have showers or phones and it’s still one of the best things we’ve all ever done.
‘We saw them change by the hour’
“I think we’re all more confident than we were.
“We’ve proved something to ourselves.”
Ellis said: “It just shows what you can do.
“We are just teenagers from Scotland; we didn’t think we could go on a Polar Academy.
“But we’ve done it.”
Craig said: “It will take a while to sink in, for them to realise what they have done.
“We saw them change by the hour.
“It was seeing them work as team, stopping for the day and putting their tents up, getting the stoves out and cooking dinner, everyone just getting ready and away.
“You would catch one of their eyes when they were skiing or walking along and get a big smile.”
Fiona has been involved since the school was chosen for the expedition almost two years ago.
She said: “It’s been an amazing two years and we’ve loved every bit of it.”
The pupils who went were carefully selected from 300 to apply – those expected to benefit most from the empowerment Polar Academy can give.
‘Best versions of themselves’
Fiona: “It’s been amazing to see them grow and they absolutely have grown.
“They have become the people they were always meant to be.
“I would never say they were transformed because I always thought they were pretty fantastic anyway, but they have definitely learned how to be the best versions of themselves.”
Other pupils in the team were Kacey Coleman, 15, Morgan Gibb, 16, Rhys Gordon, 17, Igor Krykwinski, 16, Billie McKay, 15, Jamie Meldrum, 16, Milana Jezova, 15, Carly Rose, 14, and Ellie Simpson, 16. Morgan is going on Polar Academy’s summer expedition.
Braeview Polar Academy photos
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