With the school year drawing to a close in what has been the most difficult year our students, teachers etc have seen, it is worth acknowleding what they have achieved.

Four young students at The Armidale School with a gift of the gab triumphed in the National Virtual Debating Competition last Wednesday.

TAS was awarded the debate for building a case around the idea that only a mandatory community service program incorporated into the school curriculum would expose all students to the importance of service.

Meanwhile, another TAS student, Georgia Donoghue, has been selected to attend the National Mathematics Summer School (NMSS) in January, which will be held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

In the last week Armidale students were also named among the top performers across regional NSW in Newcastle Permanent's 40th annual Primary School Mathematics Competition.

Last Thursday was International Day of People with Disability, and as part of a special inclusion initiative, the Diocese of Armidale produced a series of videos to share the stories of students with disabilities. to celebrate their achievements.

Over the last week, we also saw the Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT announce St Joseph's Primary School in Uralla as the recipient of the 2020 Roger O'Sullivan Memorial Award for family, school and community partnerships for learning.

That came after a student told his teachers he wanted to sell sheep manure which triggered a chain of events that led to his school developing an entrepreneurial way of engaging with students.

I'm sure it won't be the last we hear of what our students are achieving in 2020.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great week. If you have a news tip, let us know by contacting the Express at armidaleexpress@austcommunitymedia.com.au.

Laurie Bullock

Group Editor