Students from Dartmouth Academy experienced the trip of a lifetime during a four week summer excursion to Borneo.

Over four extraordinary weeks, 22 pupils swapped the classroom for the luscious landscapes of Borneo - an experience that tested their independence, built friendships and transformed the way they see the world.

As well as throwing themselves into demanding community and conversation projects, pupils trekked into jungle camps and even dived with turtles off Mamutik Island. “We saw four of the Borneo Big Five,” one student, Millie, recalled. “The only one we missed was the pygmy elephant, but we saw everything else; crocodiles, monkeys, hornbills and orangutans - it was incredible.”

But this was no sightseeing holiday. The journey was built on two years of hard work, as every pupil was challenged to raise the £5,000 needed for the expedition themselves. The school organised raffles, bingos and sponsored walks, but it was the students’ own initiative that made the difference. Millie baked cakes to sell in her mum’s salon. Another student, Alec, sold jewellery and delivered logs during winter, while others took on part-time jobs, saving up to reach their goal.

“It took about two years to raise the money,” explained Year 11 pupil, Seren. “But that’s what made it so rewarding. We weren’t just handed this opportunity - we built it ourselves.”

Once in Borneo, the pupils turned their energy to helping rural communities. They played football with local children, taught English and worked alongside villagers on projects to support everyday life. “Everyone was so welcoming,” says Kayden. “They were grateful for what we were doing, but we also learned so much from them - about kindness, generosity and how to think about others before ourselves.

“When you go on holiday, you don't you don't see the local side of it, you're in the fancy rich area with the massive hotels. But we weren't, we were in the camps with the real community people.”

Science teacher, Emma Richardson, who led the expedition, described the transformation she witnessed: “These young people stepped up to and above all expectations, showing what wonderful adults they are becoming - a side I’d never have had the chance to see in the classroom. My only regret is that it had to end.”

Headteacher, Paul Girardot, echoed that sentiment, calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime adventure” that built resilience, leadership and teamwork in ways no lesson could replicate.

Speaking with the students, the fondest memories are not of the impressive landscapes or exotic wildlife, but the people they met. Singing songs with children or playing football with local people after a days work. “Everyone we met was so welcoming. They're so grateful for us.”

Kayden ends by saying: “I thought it was going to end up with arguments. Being together every day for a month, but it did the opposite. Everyone became so much closer. If you get the opportunity, you have to do it.”

Dartmouth Academy has set its sights on the next expedition: a month-long trip to Cambodia in July 2027. The fundraising wheels are already in motion, with more fetes, fayres, sponsored walks and bingo nights planned.

Pupils and staff at Dartmouth Academy want to thank the Dartmouth community for their ongoing support. For many students, none of this would have been possible without the generosity of local people.