© ATOM 2016 A STUDY GUIDE BY MARGUERITE O’HARA http://www.metromagazine.com.au ISBN: 978-1-74295-992-4 http://theeducationshop.com.au Guide Outline: Introduction, Synopsis, Curriculum Guidelines, the Expeditioners, Background Only a handful of adults has ever achieved all three but her to the Region, Filmmakers, Stages of the Trek, Viewing ambitious quest is part of a story that stretches beyond Table, Post Viewing Questions, Extension Activities, forging a new chapter in global polar history. Like all ad- Resources and References. venturers Jade has a story and a life that have lead her to this moment, this mission. Her dreams are fuelled by a father who conquered Mount INTRODUCTION Everest and is with her every step of the way during her daring North Pole journey, and a need to give thanks for the gift of life itself after she survived a potentially fatal On Thin Ice - Jade’s Polar Dream is the story of 14-year- respiratory illness following birth. old Jade Hameister’s amazing trek on skis across the ice to the Geographic North Pole, the first of three polar Her story, her character, is also moulded by a loving and expeditions she is intending to complete by the end of protective mother who, in her honest moments, confesses 2017. With her father Paul and polar guide Eric Philips, to not wanting the child she fought to save as an infant they cross the white wilderness pulling all they will need exposed to the dangers she will inevitably face. behind them on a trek they need to complete in 11 days. The expedition is captured on film along with the prepara- Mother, father and daughter must implicitly trust one of the tions Jade and her father make before setting out. This is world’s most renowned polar adventurers, Eric Philips, as he an inspirational story of passion, perseverance and self- guides his teenage charge across a dangerous and unfor- belief, set in a little known world that is as beautiful as it is giving landscape with no guarantee of success or survival. remote, cold and inhospitable. This one-hour documentary recounts Jade’s history-mak- ing attempt to reach the North Pole, the punishing training regime she endures as she prepares, the unforeseen ob- SYNOPSIS stacles that almost prevent her from getting to the starting point and the constant challenges she faces during the Jade Hameister is a 14-year old schoolgirl from gruelling trek on ice itself. Melbourne, Australia with big dreams and a vision to inspire young girls around the world. In April, 2016 she set It reveals an ordinary school student beset by real doubts out to ski 150 km to the Geographic North Pole, further about her ability to succeed but driven by an extraordinary than anyone her age had ever managed. will to live, fierce determination and a motivation to inspire young girls everywhere to chase their dreams. A quiet, almost shy, teenager whose unassuming demean- our belies the driving force that prompted her to set her Will she live up to her own high ideals? How far is she © ATOM 2016 © ATOM sights on becoming the youngest person to conquer ‘The prepared to push herself physically, emotionally and men- Polar Hat Trick’: trekking to the North Pole, across Greenland tally? This courageous and likeable teen puts her personal and from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole. catchcry ‘expand possible’ to the extreme test. 2 The importance of thorough long-term preparation for something as complex and difficult as walking to the North Pole is illustrated clearly in this film. As well as the physical challenges of the trek, Jade must deal with her own concerns about whether she can achieve the 150-kilometre trek within the time frame and stay mentally focused throughout. Resilience involves the capacity to deal construc- tively with change or challenge, allowing us to maintain or re-establish our social and emotional wellbeing in the face of difficult events. It involves thoughts, feelings and actions. This film is about a young woman following a dream and challenging herself mentally and physically. In cross - curriculum terms, the film’s setting in the Arctic Circle provides stunning images of a bright white world entered by few people which, as Jade CURRICULUM GUIDELINES says ‘probably won’t be here forever. It’s melting at a fast rate and might not be accessible in a few On Thin Ice -Jade’s Polar Dream would be enjoyed years’. The polar ice regions and changes occur- by students from upper primary (years 5 and 6) and ring there are critical aspects of global climate secondary students from years 7 -10. It is a story change with implications for the whole planet. about a 14-year-old girl’s pursuit of a dream and achieving her goals through preparation, persis- This guide includes activities and questions de- tence and an adventurous spirit. signed for upper primary to middle secondary stu- dents as both the story and the way it is told make The Health and Physical Education (H & PE) it accessible for students aged 10–15. Equally, National Curriculum guidelines include a strong students undertaking Outdoor Education would endorsement of outdoor education activities that find this documentary inspiring and interesting. challenge students in different ways. The empha- Teachers could select from the chart-filling activ- sis in all these activities is on safety with thorough ity, the close viewing questions and/or some of the preparation in relation to the terrain, the weather Jade is a fourteen- Extension questions, depending on their students’ conditions, access and anticipated challenges and year-old student interests and abilities or they could work through all how to meet them safely. from Melbourne, these areas. Australia who Specifically, In H & PE, the strand: Personal, Social and Community Health includes sub-strands loves being active » THE EXPEDITIONERS across all levels from Foundation to years 9 and 10 and outdoors. which include Identities, Changes and Transitions, Jade climbed Mt Help-seeking and Making healthy and safe choices, Jade Hameister Connecting to the environment, Fitness and physi- Kosciuszko and cal activity, Teamwork and leadership. This film completed her first Jade is a fourteen-year-old student from addresses and illustrates all these learning areas. triathlon season Melbourne, Australia who loves being active and outdoors. Jade climbed Mt Kosciuszko and The documentary would also be a valuable re- by the age of six. completed her first triathlon season by the age of source for students undertaking Outdoor Ed chal- six. By twelve, Jade had conquered the Mt Everest lenges as part of their VET course where they can Base Camp Trek and was inspired by the courage select from activities that may include Abseiling, of two women she befriended on that trip – one Bushwalking, Skiing, Cycling and Surfing. who was aiming to reach the summit and who had previously skied to the South Pole solo and the While few students are likely to have an opportunity other who had been the first woman to summit to undertake the challenges that Jade has set for Everest without oxygen. herself – trekking in the North and South Pole regions, her polar trek has within it lessons about the joys of This inspiration has led Jade to undertake her own adventuring where setbacks and difficulties are all quest… Jade’s Polar Quest. Jade hopes to cover part of learning and character development, where almost 2,000 kilometres over three expeditions (al- © ATOM 2016 © ATOM there are new and valuable skills to be learned and most three months on ice) on skis, dragging a sled new worlds to experience. (Note: On Thin Ice: Jade’s in some of the most extreme and beautiful environ- Polar Dream was supported by National Geographic ments on the planet. Her expeditions will include who helped fund the documentary) the North Pole, Greenland and the South Pole. 3 the seven continents, which includes Mt Everest. Paul accompanied his daughter Jade on her quest to the North Pole and will also travel with her to Greenland and the South Pole in 2017. Eric Philips OAM – Polar Guide, Expedition Leader Eric Philips is a polar adventurer dedicated to exploring the vast and varied ice landscapes that typify our polar regions. His outdoor career spans more than 25 years during which time he has worked professionally as an IPGA Polar Guide, outdoor educator, film maker, motivational speaker, team facilitator and musician. As an adventurer, Eric has visited every continent on earth, often leading lightweight and self-supported expedi- tions to remote areas. He has explored the world’s four largest icecaps and was the first Australian, together with companion Jon Muir, to ski to both the North and South Poles, locations that he has since visited many times as a polar guide. Through his experiences Eric has developed alternative and highly efficient methods of travel in the polar regions and has embraced the use of special- ised plastics in the construction of polar-specific equipment. Eric is the author of Icetrek: The Bitter Journey to the South Pole and his expeditions have produced four internationally-screened documentary films, most notably, the Emmy Award-winning Greenland production, Chasing the Midnight Sun. Eric lives in Hobart, Australia with his family. Petter Nyquist was the cameraman on the trek. He is a seasoned sub-zero cameraman whose experience shooting in inhospitable climes like the Himalayas and polar regions has bred a passion for the pictures he takes and the places he takes them. She has recently achieved her first goal, being » BACKGROUND the youngest person (male or female) to ski to the North Pole from beyond one-degree latitude, covering a total of 150kms.