Dawn Waugh

Founder of the Junior Suke Award

Workshop Information:

In a world where AI provides instant access to facts, we’ll explore why teaching critical thinking, resilience and life skills is more essential than ever. Blending research, real stories and practical tips, this session will help you empower students for tomorrow’s challenges.

The presentation will cover:

• Why the traditional focus on memorisation doesn’t work with AI and how to shift towards meaningful education.

• What teens worldwide believe about what their education SHOULD include

• How “healthy struggle” needs to replace overprotective parenting and see real strategies for fostering grit and adaptability.

• How involving parents is crucial to extend learning beyond the classroom.

Practical steps and a simple ten-level framework to follow.

Session Outcomes:

Join us to explore how teaching life skills, communication skills, financial literacy and embracing empowerment can shape students into confident, adaptable, resilient individuals ready to solve the many problems they will undoubtedly face as they grow up. 

You will leave the session with a simple framework to guide and support your staff and parents in reinforcing life skills and resilience at home.

Biography:

Dawn Waugh was a primary teacher for almost 30 years at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow. The mother of two teenage boys and an avid outdoors enthusiast, Dawn's passion for youth development is deeply rooted in her own experiences as a Brownie and Girl Guide. These formative years instilled in her the value of perseverance and the importance of learning through challenges.

In 2007, recognising a gap in children's practical life skills, Dawn established the Junior Duke Award. This initiative aims to foster independence, resilience and confidence in young learners by engaging them in age-appropriate challenges that extend beyond traditional academics. Under her leadership, the program has expanded to offer ten progressive levels, catering to children from preschool through early secondary school and is now implemented in schools across over 40 countries.

Dawn's commitment to holistic education emphasises the importance of allowing children to face and overcome obstacles, thereby preparing them for real-world experiences. Through the Junior Duke Award, she continues to inspire teachers and parents alike to support children's growth into capable and self-reliant individuals.