“Do not think that what is hard for you to master is humanly impossible;
if it is humanly possible, consider it to be within your reach.” – Marcus Aurelius

On Friday, 8th March, Perth Waldorf School graduate Aaron Crook accomplished the impossible: winning a gruelling 380-mile ultramarathon through the Arctic Circle while raising money for youth mental health.

Named after its Arctic coordinates, the 6633 race is widely considered one of the most physically and mentally challenging ultramarathons on the planet. It tests the world’s most resilient athletes as they endure temperatures as low as -50°C, swept by icy Arctic winds at times strong enough to topple a truck. Competitors must drag all their belongings and supplies in a sled as they race across the ice through Yukon in Northern Canada, lit up by the magnificence of the Aurora Borealis.

Beginning at Eagle Plains and traversing land long inhabited by 14 Indigenous nations, the race concludes at Tuktoyaktuk on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. Only 11 international athletes braved the challenge, and just four others made it to the finish line behind Aaron.

Aaron is the son of Patricia Crook, one of Perth Waldorf School’s pioneering teachers and our current Cultural Studies teacher. Patricia taught Aaron herself at PWS during his primary and early high school years after their family arrived from Ireland and made their home in Bibra Lake. From the age of four, Aaron rode 3km to school each day, encouraged by his mum and big sister, Laura, not to give up.

Aaron’s first international ultramarathon, the 2019 Marathon des Sables, saw him face extreme heat as he raced 250km across the Sahara Desert. This time, Aaron sought a challenge that would push him to discover his true limits. His training included intensive Pilates reformer work, racing up a mountain with a backpack full of iron, dragging weights across the beach for up to 20 hours at a time, and diving into an ice bath cut out of a frozen lake in Whitehorse, Canada.

As he reached the Arctic Ocean well ahead of the pack, Aaron’s humble nature and deep sense of wonder for the natural world shone through his words:

“It is such an honour to finish this race. What a privilege to be here and to finish it. Such an amazing race—so difficult, almost impossible. I thought it was impossible many times over these last 7 or 8 days.”

Aaron has shown us all what is possible when you are committed to the well-being of your community. His dedication to youth mental health was undoubtedly inspired by his experiences as a Steiner student where community service is central to the ethos of Waldorf Education, as well as by witnessing his mother’s lifelong service to the same cause, as a pioneering teacher at PWS and teaching the state’s most vulnerable children at Banksia Hill Juvenile Prison. Aaron said:

“My journey is dedicated to raising vital funds to equip children with the essential life skills they need to overcome mental health challenges and unlock their full potential by supporting the leading well-being program, Open Parachute. Every $15 raised will provide a primary or secondary student with access to this transformative program for an entire school year.”

Congratulations to Aaron on this incredible achievement. What an outstanding ambassador for Steiner education in Australia!

To support Aaron’s ongoing efforts, please visit: https://shoutforgood.com/fundraisers/aaroncrooksracetothearcticsea