Did You Know…Olympians Walk Amongst Us at Caningeraba?
Meet our Mathematical Olympians!
This year, Caningeraba State School participated in the Australian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) as a new opportunity within our enrichment program. We were thrilled to have 60 of our Maths Extension students from Years 3–6 take on the challenge, with 30 students competing in the Junior Division (Years 5–6) and another 30 participating in the Maths Explorer Division (Years 3–4). Our students achieved some fantastic results, making the introduction of this competition a wonderful success for Caningeraba!
Across Terms 2 and 3, students completed four challenging tests, dedicating weeks to practising mathematical skills, developing problem-solving strategies and learning to tackle unfamiliar problems. The APSMO competitions challenge students to think creatively, apply logical reasoning and persevere when a solution is not immediately obvious. With participation numbers in excess of 100,000 students each year from schools across Australia and internationally, these competitions provide an exciting opportunity for students to test their mathematical thinking against a broader field of young problem-solvers.
The questions were certainly challenging but our students rose to the occasion! They demonstrated resilience, determination and a willingness to keep trying, even when problems pushed them well beyond their comfort zones. We are particularly proud of how enthusiastically our students embraced this new opportunity and the outstanding results they achieved. Congratulations to every student who participated and challenged themselves to grow as a mathematician.
A special congratulations goes to Sean in Year 5, who achieved an outstanding result by scoring within the top 25% of students in the Junior Olympiad division. Sean received a special badge in recognition of this achievement and was also awarded a special medal as Caningeraba's highest overall achiever across all year levels. What an incredible effort!
We also congratulate the following students on their outstanding achievements and special awards:
Year 3
- Highest Achievement: Oskar
- Runner-Up Highest Achievement: Eli
- Encouragement Award: Cleo
- Perfect Score Award – Test 4: Patrick
Year 4
- Highest Achievement: Jax
- Runner-Up Highest Achievement: Pedro
- Improvement Award: Sol
- Perfect Score Award – Test 4: Roly, Jax and Hudson
Year 5
- Highest Achievement: Sean
- Runner-Up Highest Achievement: Bailey
- Encouragement Award: Edie
Year 6
- Highest Achievement: Jazmin
- Runner-Up Highest Achievement: Zac and Nixon
- Improvement Award: Elsie
We are incredibly proud of all 60 students for their commitment, perseverance and enthusiasm for mathematics. The introduction of APSMO has been a fantastic addition to our enrichment program and we look forward to hopefully building on this success in the years ahead. These experiences help develop confident problem-solvers who are willing to tackle complex challenges, learn from mistakes and think outside the box. Well done, mathematical olympians!