I am proud to show the state that there is true top rate learning on offer in the regional areas
- Mandi Randell
Dubbo's Central West Leadership Academy has produced some junior da Vinci geniuses after its grade sevens ranked [NSW and ACT] eighth at the da Vinci Decathlon 2019 competition state finals.
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The decathlon, held at Knox Grammar school in Sydney on May 28 and May 30, is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.
Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code-breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography and general knowledge.
The da Vinci Decathlon began in 2002 as an offshoot of the da Vinci Program for gifted students at the Knox Grammar School and is now a national and global phenomenon.
The competition involves thousands of students from Years five to 11.
The year seven students from the Academy brought home fantastic placings to lead them to the overall eight placement, including second in Ideation, second in General Knowledge and sixth in Engineering, and eighth in Code Breaking.
Dubbo's Central West Leadership Academies grade sixes team also placed seventh in ideation out of 80 teams.
Academy Principal, Ms Mandi Randell said the achievement shows the capacity of regional kids.
"When the focus is on 21st Century Skills and maximising an individual's potential, the sky is the limit." Ms Randell said.
"I am proud to show the state that there is true top rate learning on offer in the regional areas.
"I am so proud of our students who went toe to toe with the best in state and really held their own.
"The skills in the Decathlon are at the core of what we do at The Academy."
Ms Randell said the diversity of skills and teamwork are fundamental to all students future successes.
"The competition was fierce, and our team utterly excelled on the state level," she said.
"I couldn't be more proud of our students. It is a great result for not only our school but for Dubbo and the Central West."
The Academy is Dubbo's newest school, and Ms Randell said it is a big effort for a Central Western school to have made the state top 10.