Filipino student among Top 50 scorers in Australian Science Innovations

MANILA, Philippines—Andrew Lawrence Sy, a sophomore high school student of Xavier School in San Juan, Metro Manila, has won a High Distinction Award in the 2012 Australian Science Innovations (ASI) contest for being one of the top 50 scorers in the annual competition.

The good news was relayed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday by ASI’s partner organization in Manila, the non-government Mathematics Trainers Guild-Philippines (MTG), which conducted the test to 195 Filipino high school students on June 17.

Some 37,000 students worldwide took the annual correspondence-type test, which covered critical thinking and problem solving and contemporary science topics like global warming, outer space, deep sea exploration and wireless technology, among others.

In an e-mail, Dr. Simon Chua, MTG president, disclosed that aside from Sy, a mainstay of the Philippine math team, 17 other Filipino students also got High Distinction Awards for being in the Top 5 percent of this year’s contestants.

They include Adrian Reginald Sy from St. Jude Catholic School in Manila, another member of the country’s math team. He got a perfect score in last year’s Australian Mathematics Competition and a silver medal in the just-concluded 9th China Southeast Math Olympiad in Fujian.

Other High Distinction awardees: Ava Celeste Lee, Vince Benedict Say, Marvin Kaiser Sy, Isabella Tan, and Matthew Ryan Tan, all from St. Jude Catholic School; Samantha Mari Agura, Nicole Regina Chiong, Rianna Patricia Cruz, Michelle Maria Ochoa, and Natalia Varela, all from St. Paul College-Pasig; Lara Andrea Montales, Joan Lisebeth Mendoza and Allen Cedrick Domingo, all from the Philippine Science High School; Czarina Jill Mataragnon from Philippine Cultural College; Nathaniel Joshua Balete from St. Stephen’s High School; and Gene Go Jr. from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School.

Sixty-four other students got Distinction Awards for being in the Top 10 percent of the competitors. They include Abigail Laureen Sy, Ma. Czarina Angela Lao and Austin Edrich Chua, all from St. Jude Catholic School; Benedict Ryan Tiu and Sterling Alvin Tiu, both from St. Stephen’s High School; Deany Hendrick Cheng, Kelsey Lim Tiong Soon and Charles Vincent Dy, all from Grace Christian College; Xavier Jefferson Go and Mycah Robin Lim, both from Zamboanga Chong Hua High School; Joanne de Leon and Hazel Elaine Reyes and Gabrielle Rose Quintos, all from St. Paul College-Pasig; Francis Concepcion and Daisylyn Senna Tan, both from Philippine Cultural College; Raenelle Ean Ngo and Andrew Brandon Ong, both from Chiang Kai Shek College; Aldrich Aldwin Mayoralgo from Xavier School; Reine Jiana Reynoso from Philippine Science High School; and Karli Ang and Janine Michelle Yu, both from Philippine Institute of Quezon City, among others.

Chua noted Andrew Lawrency Sy’s achievement “only shows that he can thrive well even outside his comfort zone, which is math. Perhaps, it is the mathematician in him that brought him success in the science contest.”

In a statement, Anne Semple, ASI chair, expressed “hope that students like Andrew Lawrence Sy will continue to excel in science,” adding “Australia needs more scientists and its programs like this science competition that helps teachers nurture the scientific talents in their schools.”