PHNOM PENH: Golden Gate American School (GGAS) sent seven outstanding students to compete in the Copernicus Olympiad in New York. EAC News had a chance to speak with the confident students before they left on Saturday, July 8.
GGAS student Kim Kanal expressed his happiness to participate in an international competition in the United States. He added that before leaving for the competition, he trained to improve his skills and received tutoring at home.
"This is my second time me competing in the Copernicus Olympiad. The first time I did it in Houston, Texas and I won silver medal, so this time I hope I get better results," he said.
Yang Koma Amrentr, an 11th grade student at GGAS, said that although she was a little nervous, she was confident that she would be able to get good results in this competition. She also won a silver medal in the previous competition. "I have been practicing at home with my sister," she said.
Amrentr's sister, Yang Koma Sotepy, who attended the competition, also expressed her happiness while getting ready for the competition. "I feel kind of nervous but excited at the same time because I cannot wait to compete," she said.
Other students are hoping for the best, but maintaining a good attitude towards the opportunity to compete.
"I want the result to be good. We'll see," said Dy Sevleang.
"It doesn’t matter if I pass or fail but I will try my best," said Ang Gech Lorng.
This is the third time Chov Veasna is supervising the students’ trip to the competition and said that his Cambodian students always succeed and bring back medals.
He added, "We are so excited that our students have the opportunity to go to America to compete this event. Actually at Golden Gate American School We have event competition every year not only in America. We went to Germany, we went to UK, Italy so many competitions that we facilitate our student to go to. We don’t allow them to go by themselves. Our school always sends supervisor, facilitators to help students from the beginning until the end of the competition.”
He added that by sending students to compete abroad, GGAS allows its students to gain new experiences, so when they graduate from school, they already exposed to an international environment.
Yang Saing Koma, whose two children were sent by GGAS to participate in this international competition, expressed his pride in his two daughters and said that participating in this competition would be a good experience for them as well.
He believes that GGAS 'curriculum, along with the opportunities it presents for international competitions, have made students more courageous, more developed and more focused on their studies.
"The Golden Gate American School, from my experience, my children they are growing they are improving a lot, not only in English but in all general education. Especially they have been encouraged to compete both national and international competition," he said. “So for me it's a good experience for them and to explore the world too.”
The Copernicus Olympiad gets its namesake from Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543),the mathematician and astronomer who theorized that the Sun was at the center of the universe, with the Earth orbiting around it. The Copernicus Olympiad is a globally renowned international competition where students from 3rd to 12th grade participate in Mathematics, Physics, Natural Sciences, Astronomy, and Cyber Security competitions. There are attractive prizes on offer for the winners.
In May, GGAS students returned from Germany with 18 medals, including the top three gold medals from the Pangea Math World Olympiad.
