Nearly 500 students from across regional NSW have gathered in Armidale today for the 13th Northern NSW da Vinci Decathlon, putting their skills to the test in a fast-paced academic competition.
Hosted at The Armidale School, the event brings together 496 students from 17 schools across the New England and surrounding regions, competing in teams across ten disciplines.
This year’s competition is centred around the theme of ‘time’, with challenges spanning subjects including Engineering, Mathematics, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy.
Event organiser Donella Tutt said the theme adds an extra layer of complexity for competitors.
“Time is history, it is a unit of measure, and it is also something that students will have to manage carefully to give them the best chance of completing each challenge successfully,” Mrs Tutt said.
Teams of eight students work collaboratively, allocating tasks based on individual strengths while racing against the clock to complete each challenge.
“There’s always an electrifying atmosphere as students allocate who will do each challenge depending on their individual strengths, then work against the clock to complete the challenges, all in a competitive environment,” Mrs Tutt said.
The competition runs across three days, with Years 7 and 8 competing first, followed by Years 5 and 6, and concluding with Years 9 and 10.
Students have travelled from across the region, including Armidale, Inverell, Glen Innes, Gunnedah, Tamworth and Dubbo, highlighting the growing reach of the event.
Originally devised by Knox Grammar School, the da Vinci Decathlon is now held in multiple centres across Australia as well as internationally, with Armidale hosting the Northern NSW event for more than a decade.
Alongside the academic challenges, students will also take part in general knowledge quizzes and interactive activities, with senior students from The Armidale School assisting as quizmasters and event hosts.
Winning teams will progress to the State Final, continuing their academic journey in one of the country’s most recognised interdisciplinary competitions.
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