Outstanding Maths Medal Winning NZ Students

Auckland Hosts Award Ceremony for Outstanding Medal Winning NZ Students

New Zealand school students excelled in the 2007 Australian Mathematics Competition for the Westpac Awards, winning four of the 52 medals awarded globally.

The medals for the New Zealand winners will be presented by Westpac Area Manager, Auckland Central, Mr Colin Smith, at a special ceremony at St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland on Thursday, 27 September. The ceremony will form part of the New Zealand Association of Mathematics Teachers biennial conference.

The annual Competition has attracted almost 12 million entries since it began in 1978. It is the largest competition per capita of its kind in the world. This year, hundreds of thousands of participants from 39 countries entered. New Zealand entry numbers increased with a total of 320 primary and secondary schools participating.

The New Zealand medallists are:

Name / Year / School
JOE LU 8 (Junior) FARM COVE INTERMEDIATE
ROBERT ZHANG 9 (Junior) AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL
SO-YOUNG PARK 11 (Intermediate) ST KENTIGERN COLLEGE
HEYANG LI 12 (Senior) BURNSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

In addition, these medallists won prizes and two, Robert Zhang and So-Young Park, will also receive Prudence awards.

Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director of the Australian Mathematics Trust, which administers the Competition, said, “New Zealand should be extremely proud of these talented young people who performed so exceptionally in this competition”.

Westpac has been the principal sponsor of the Competition from the start. Westpac New Zealand Sponsorship Manager, Rose-Marie Schiavuzzi said, “Education provides the platform for the future of New Zealand and Westpac is pleased to play its part in promoting achievement. Westpac congratulates all those who took part in the competition and particularly these four medallists who have excelled. Who knows, maybe there will be a role for them at the bank one day.”

The University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association are supporting sponsors.

This year in New Zealand there are 70 prize winners. The 21 winners from the Auckland regional will also be presented with their awards at the ceremony. All students who participate in the Competition receive individual performance reports and personalised certificates indicating their level of achievement. In addition, Prudence Awards are presented to students with the highest number of consecutive correct responses in their school.

Photo opportunity:

WHAT: Special prize giving ceremony for 2007
Australian Mathematics Competition for the Westpac Awards

WHEN: Thursday, 27 September 2007, 2.45pm

WHERE: Clousten Hall, St Cuthbert’s College,
122 Market Road,
Epsom, Auckland

ENDS

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