MEDIA RELEASE
20 October 2009
Alice Springs Students Win Prizes in Leading International Competition
For the first time, there will a presentation ceremony for Northern Territory participants in the annual
Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC). The ceremony will take place on Thursday, 22
October at the Alice Springs Resort, Stott Street, Alice Springs, at 5.30pm.
Mayor Damien Ryan will present the Prize and High Distinction Awards to the local students.
The AMC is the major mathematics school enrichment event in the South Pacific region and the first
and one of the largest of its kind in the world. Several hundred thousand students from schools
across 42 countries entered this year. This included 1600 students from 34 primary and secondary
schools in the Northern Territory.
Prizes are awarded to approximately the top 0.3% of students sitting the AMC in each year group
within each Australian state or country.
The Alice Spring Prizewinners are:
Name
School
Year
VANHAAREN, Joel
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College
3
McFARLAND, Patrick
Centralian Senior Secondary College
12
And High Distinction winners are:
THOMAS, William
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College
4
WINTER, Connor
St Philip’s College
7
WHYTE, Ben
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College
12
AVERAY, Kate
St Philip’s College
12
Whilst the AMC aims to encourage the average primary and secondary student in the study of
mathematics, it also identifies and acknowledges the more exceptional and talented students.
Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australian Mathematics Trust, which
administers the AMC, said, “The AMC aims to encourage students of all standards in their study of
mathematics. It sets out to demonstrate how mathematics can be used in the world around them via
problem solving using the skills students learn in the classroom. The AMC has also been useful in
identifying talented students such as these and the results are used for inviting students into more
advanced mathematical enrichment programs.”
The University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association in Australia are supporting
sponsors of the AMC.
Photo opportunity:
WHAT:
Special prize giving ceremony for the 2009 Australian Mathematics Competition
WHEN:
Thursday, 22 October 2009, 5.30pm
WHERE:
Alice Springs Resort, Stott Street, Alice Springs.
Media are cordially invited to attend.
For further information:
Ms Shelley Worthington, AMC State Director for NT- Tel: 08 8920 1240, Mob: 0438 664 264
NEWS 
