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The Guardian World1 min read
Race Across the World's Jo and Kush set powerful example for young people
TL;DR
Jo and Kush, winners of Race Across the World, inspired millions with their journey from Italy to Mongolia. Their success is now influencing positive changes at their former school in Liverpool.
Key points
- Jo and Kush won Race Across the World
- They inspired seven million viewers
- Their former school is changing assemblies
- They were the youngest competitors at 19
- The journey spanned 12,000km from Italy to Mongolia
Their Scouse charm warmed the hearts of seven million viewers and now the example set by Race Across the World winners Jo and Kush is impacting their former school.
Lee Ratcliffe, head teacher at Calderstones School in Liverpool, says he felt a "gush of pride" at seeing the teenage friends triumph in the BBC series' finale this week.
Aged 19, the pair were the youngest competitors in the 12,000km adventure from Italy to Mongolia - taken without mobiles phones.
Mr Ratcliffe told BBC Radio Merseyside his assemblies "have completely changed now off the back of this".
"They will now be about the notion that these boys had the courage, the ambition - they took the risks to go."
The friends have said they will use their shared £20,000 prize to invest in getting on the property ladder after both their mums had been renting.
Mr Ratcliffe described the former students as "magnificent, young gentlemen", adding that "for both boys behind the scenes there's a mum who has sweated blood and given tears to make sure that they get everything they and other children in their families need".
"I think those mums deserve an enormous amount of credit and there's a lot for us all to learn from that kind of family unit."
The pair were praised by viewers for their mutual support during the two-month trip, which showed Kush's struggles after his much-loved stepdad Matt took his own life during the coronavirus lockdown.
Before the journey, Kush said he could get "very anxious" and viewers saw Jo provide space for him to decompress and - on at least one occasion - stay awake the night to let his friend get things off his chest.
In the reunion episode, which followed straight after the final airing on BBC One, Kush talked about seeing a counsellor to "help process my emotions and it's really, really helped", adding: "The one thing the race did teach is that it's ok to ask for help."
The pair have been widely praised for their openness, including by politicians promoting healthy masculinity, with former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips telling the Guardian: "There are nasty influencers we need to worry about, but men and boys need to see this, which is like their real lives.
Q&A
How did Jo and Kush impact their former school after winning Race Across the World?
Their victory inspired the head teacher to change school assemblies to focus on courage and ambition.
What age were Jo and Kush when they competed in Race Across the World?
Jo and Kush were both 19 years old, making them the youngest competitors in the series.
What was the distance covered in Race Across the World by Jo and Kush?
They completed a 12,000km journey from Italy to Mongolia.
What challenges did Jo and Kush face during their adventure in Race Across the World?
They undertook the journey without mobile phones, which added to the challenges they faced.
