Jade Hameister is the youngest person in history to complete the Polar Hat Trick “ ski to the North Pole, to the South Pole (from the coast via a new route), and a crossing of Greenland “ all unsupported and unassisted.
Jade is a student from Melbourne, Australia. She is in her third year of a Bachelor of Commerce & Bachelor of Global Studies degree at Monash University and is passionate about business and finding ways to make a positive impact on our environment and society.
In April 2016 at the age of 14, she became the youngest person in history to ski to the North Pole from anywhere outside the last degree, unsupported and unassisted.
In June 2017, aged 15, she became the youngest woman to complete the 550 km crossing of Greenland, the second-largest ice cap on the planet, unsupported and unassisted.
In January 2018, aged 16, Jade skied 600km from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole, unsupported and unassisted “ an epic 37-day journey via a new route through the Transantarctic Mountains and up the Kansas Glacier from the Amundsen Coast.
In finishing this incredible 1,300km journey, Jade set a number of world records including: the youngest person to complete the Polar Hat-Trick; the youngest person to ski from the coast of Antarctica to South Pole unsupported and unassisted; the first Australian woman to ski from the coast of Antarctica to South Pole unsupported and unassisted; one of only three women in history to set a new route to the South Pole; and the youngest person to ski to both Poles.
Jade's polar expeditions were captured in two National Geographic Channel documentaries that aired in 170 countries in late 2016 and 2018.
In 2018 Pan Macmillan released a book that Jade authored to educate young people on climate change (also published in the USA).
She delivered a TEDx Talk in August 2016 (age 15) and in early 2017 presented to a combined live audience of over 12,000 students at ImagiNATION in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
In the 2019 Queens Birthday Honours, Jade was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to Polar Exploration and she has been named Young Adventurer of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society on two occasions.
She has also been recognised by Vogue magazine as one of the years Game Changers; was the first Teen Titan to be interviewed in New York on the CBS, Megan Kelly Show; and was awarded the Fierce Spirit's Women of Style award by InStyle magazine.
Jade is passionate about shifting the focus for young people from how they appear to the possibilities of what they can do and raising awareness of climate change's impact on Earth's beautiful and fragile polar regions.
Talking Points
IWD 2024: Shifting Focus - The Path Towards Economic Empowerment
In life and in business, it is always more rewarding to focus on being brave rather than seeking perfection. When we choose bravery, we are prepared to try new things and we accept that failure and mistakes are just part of the process. When we make perfection the goal, who often don’t even try from fear of looking foolish.IWD 2024: Shifting Focus - The Path Towards Economic Empowerment
Jade shares this fundamental truth learned the hard way, through her epic polar journeys.
Who this is for:
Founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, executives, students.
Key Takeaways:
- The inspiring story of what Jade was able to accomplish at such a young age with this attitude
- Why this approach to life is an accelerated path to economic empowerment
- Tools and tips for living life this way
Exploring the Explorer's Mindset
Exploring the Explorer's Mindset
Earth, Wind and Fire - The Climate of Change
Debates about saving our planet from global warming are misplaced. Planet Earth doesn't need saving - it will recover long after we have wiped ourselves and all other life out this is about the survival of the human species. Earth, Wind and Fire - The Climate of Change
At 21, Jade is no expert on the science of global warming, but she is likely the only person on the planet of her generation to have the privilege of first-hand experience in Earth's three main polar regions. Journeys that saw her cover a total of around 1,300km in 80 days.
She now feels a deep emotional connection with our planet Earth and a responsibility to play her part in the protection of these incredibly beautiful and fragile environments.
Choosing Bravery Over Perfection
In life and in business, it is always more rewarding to focus on being brave rather than seeking perfection. When we choose bravery, we are prepared to try new things and we accept that failure and mistakes are just part of the process. When we make perfection the goal, who often don't even try from fear of looking foolish.Choosing Bravery Over Perfection
Jade shares this fundamental truth learned the hard way, through her epic polar journeys.
Who this is for:
Founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, executives, students.
Key Takeaways:
- The inspiring story of what Jade was able to accomplish at such a young age with this attitude
- Why this approach to life is so much more rewarding
- Tools and tips for living life this way
Protecting our Planet through Female Empowerment
Saving our environment long-term cannot happen without gender equity.Protecting our Planet through Female Empowerment
The world is severely out of balance in so many ways, all of which can be traced back to the suppression of feminine power and gender inequality - when women's status is reduced to being child bearers and men's property it damages all of us, but this point of view is still present many cultures globally today.
Restoring this balance means giving young women around the world have access to education, programs and resources to grow in the directions of their dreams. By changing their future, we will change everyone's future for the better.
The continuing exponential growth in the population of humans is the biggest threat to our environment. The most sensible way to address this issue is to educate and empower young women therefore allowing females to make their own decisions over the number of children they have and when.
Jade shares with us her unique perspectives on global warming shaped through her polar journeys and global travels.
Who this is for:
Founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, teams, and anybody who wants to see a change for good
Key Takeaways:
- Jade's perspective on global warming drawing from her unique polar expeditions
- The long-term benefits of gender equality for everyone
- A fresh perspective on the global warming debate.
Bravery in Facing Global Challenges
We are emerging from a prolonged period of fear, anxiety, uncertainty, risk aversion and, for want of a better word¦ hiding.Bravery in Facing Global Challenges
We are detached from the things that make us feel happy and alive like technology-free human connection, being in nature, effort and perseverance.
We need to learn again to thrive on challenge, adversity, tough times and set-backs.
Who this is for:
Founders, entrepreneurs, business leaders, teams, and anybody who wants to see a change for good
Key Takeaways:
- Jade discusses how her polar expeditions taught her to be courageous in embracing challenges and discomfort despite fear
- How this attitude allowed her to express fully what makes her unique and what she can contribute to the world
- How we can all apply this to tackling global issues.
Video
My journey to the North Pole and beyond | Jade Hameister | TEDxMelbourne
Jade Hameister at just 14 years old became the youngest person to ski to the North Pole from anywhere outside the Last Degree. Jade wants young women to #expandpossible and to inspire and empower them to be more active and chase their dreams. Jade is now determined to be the youngest person to complete the 'Polar Hat Trick', comprising the North Pole, Greenland Crossing and South Pole, all the way from the coast. She believes having an adventurous mind means being prepared to challenge outdated thinking, taking risks and accepting failure as a possibilityTeen, Jade Hameister, Skied To The North Pole, South Pole And Greenland Ice Cap | Megyn Kelly TODAY
Launching a new series, Teen Titans, Megyn Kelly TODAY welcomes Australian student Jade Hameister, who by age 16 skied to the North Pole and South Pole and across the largest polar ice cap in Greenland. It's important for women in our day and age to focus on what they can do rather than how they appear, she tells Megyn.
