Science Olympiads Of New Zealand

Hon Heather Roy speech to launch of Science OlympiaNZ (SONZ); Parliament; Tuesday, November 10 2009.
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Students, families, friends, Parliamentary colleagues, Government agency representatives, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure to be here this evening to welcome you to Parliament and to the official launch of Science OlympiaNZ (SONZ)

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the presence and contribution of Science OlympiaNZ patron Professor Sir Paul Callaghan, and to thank chairperson Dr Angela Sharples for the introduction.

Special thanks also to the Todd Foundation, without whose support Science OlympiaNZ would not have come so far. Because of the Todd Foundation’s three-year funding commitment, SONZ is now able to provide educational opportunities for many students throughout New Zealand and I hope that the Todd/Science OlympiaNZ relationship will continue on into the future.

It is very encouraging to see partnerships between business and the education sector, and I’d like to congratulate the Todd Foundation on its philanthropy and commitment to the future of science in New Zealand.

Before I go on to talk about Science OlympiaNZ I’d like to comment on our young Kiwis.

At a time when the media and others are all too ready to focus on young people who are troubled, or in trouble, it can be easy to develop a skewed perspective of them. I meet many students in the course of my job and I’m constantly amazed at their efforts and dedication, the enthusiasm and achievements of the vast majority of our young people.

I firmly believe that we must nurture excellence and celebrate the achievements of our students. It is vital for us, as a country, to recognise achievement in all its forms – whether that is in sporting, artistic, cultural or academic fields.

Providing positive encouragement for our gifted and talented children and young people is the best way to ensure that they not only succeed, but go on to reach new heights of achievement.

A challenge we face, however, is that it can sometimes be hard for our high achievers to access the initiatives they need to remain stimulated. Sometimes these students – lacking an adequate outlet for their talents – fall through the cracks. To have bored or frustrated students at school is unacceptable and often results in behavioural problems or under-achievement – quite the reverse of what we know is possible and desirable.

As Associate Minister of Education, I have responsibility for Gifted & Talented education. This is an area in which I believe we can do much better.

In its 2008 report on the evaluation of schools’ provision for gifted and talented students, the Education Review Office (ERO) found that most schools lacked programmes which matched the gifts and talents of their students. Only five percent of schools had programmes and provision that were highly responsive for gifted and talented students, while more than half had programmes that were not.

However, I have been pleased to find a range of people across the country who have considerable expertise, both at a grass roots and at an international level, and who have shared their knowledge with me. I have been inspired by their experiences and common views about where the future lies. Several of them have joined an Advisory Group I have established to explore new and innovative thinking in the gifted and talented area.

Some of the best programmes lie outside the school sector. They are provided by charitable and private organisations like Science OlympiaNZ. Passionate educators provide gifted students with a forum and a supportive network to develop their talents among other like-minded young people.

Science OlympiaNZ is a newly-established charitable association that aims to foster academic excellence in science-based disciplines among the gifted and talented students who attend secondary schools throughout the country.

It is designed to foster growth in, what were previously, individual groupings in the non-profit Science Olympiad area and incorporates a number of existing groups including:

• Future Problem Solving New Zealand Inc
• International Young Physicists’ Tournament New Zealand
• The New Zealand Chemistry Olympiad Trust
• The New Zealand Geography Olympiad
• The New Zealand International Biology Olympiad
• The New Zealand Mathematics Olympiad
• The New Zealand Olympiad in Informatics.

Programmes involve classroom activities along with academic mentoring, research, training camps and competitions across the science disciplines.

During competitions the competitors must demonstrate their knowledge of science concepts, process skills and science applications, and they must apply their understanding to the ‘real world’. On this global stage New Zealand is represented by teams in seven science-related competitions: Chemistry, Maths, Biology, Informatics, Geography, Physics and Future Problem Solving.

I understand that on every occasion Science OlympiaNZ students have “done New Zealand proud”, as Kiwis so often do by regularly outperforming teams from countries with populations and budgets far larger than those of New Zealand.

The secondary school students who compete in these international competitions are among the brightest and the most technologically savvy in the country. Investment in them is an investment in the future.

A number of these students are here this evening, and we will hear from some of them soon. They are aspirational and inspirational and I’m sure you will be truly impressed by their stories.

Organisations such as SONZ connect students with industry and employers. As the baby boomers begin to leave the industry, it is vital that we have the scientists of the future ready and able to fill those roles.

Science OlympiaNZ is about nurturing excellence in education and celebrating achievement – a concept that resonates with me as a Minister, as an ACT MP and as a mother.

Education is the greatest gift we can give our children. Critical to unleashing their future potential is the ability to choose the school and extra-curricular activities that best suit them: opportunities to access initiatives that will stimulate and develop their minds, and allow them to interact with their peers and learn together.

It gives me great pleasure to officially launch Science OlympiaNZ at Parliament this evening. I look forward to seeing and hearing more of the significant achievements that I know our young people will make, and to celebrating their successes. I applaud the Science OlympiaNZ team for your recognition of this talent, and for your commitment to our gifted and talented students and the future of science in New Zealand.