Top student: Cody Lincoln scored two awards in maths and science as part of the competition.
Photo by
Isabelle Harris
Two Cobram Anglican Grammar School students have won awards as part of the ICAS academic competitions.
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Year 11 student Cody Lincoln won the ICAS 2021 Year 10 maths and science awards, while former Year 12 student Liam Smith won the Year 12 maths award.
The awards are given to the highest scoring student at each level if the score is deemed praiseworthy — and awards are not always given each year.
Cody said he only found out he’d won on Tuesday, February 8 when his teacher stopped the class to make the announcement.
“I thought I did pretty well, but I didn’t know I was going to get a medal ... because the tests were so long ago I didn’t think anything came out of it,” he said.
He added that the tests also helped generate interest in science and maths, as well as help with university applications and further studies.
“It gets them to show their abilities and improve upon them by conversing with other students,” Cody said.
Standing proud: CAGS principal Keith Willett with Liam Smith, taken last year.
Former Year 12 student Liam Smith, who is now studying a double degree in computer science and engineering mechatronics at the University of New South Wales, said the competition had been useful in his journey so far.
“It’s been incredibly useful ... for the scholarships I applied for, the competitions I did throughout high school, experience definitely helped,” he said.
CAGS offers a number of voluntary STEM competitions for students to participate in, according to head of maths and science Melonie Smith.
She said extra academic opportunities like the ICAS competition allowed students to build relationships and camaraderie across their school experience.
“You look back at school and you don’t really remember your maths and English class very much, but you remember all that extra stuff, where you slept over at the school or you did a human-powered vehicle,” she said.
“That is actually what creates the whole person, I think it’s just as important as going to maths and science and English and doing all of your academic subjects.”
“(You) learn from your mistakes and try and take that self-driven education process where you try and not make the same mistake ... and grow to be a better mathematician or a better scientist.”
“It’s all about personal improvement and personal growth and striving to get better.”
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