A group of pupils from Camborne enjoyed the trip of a lifetime recently when they flew to Australia to take part in an international science event.

Five year 11 students from Camborne Science and International Academy (CSIA), were invited to the International Science fair at the Australian Science and Mathematics School (ASMS) in Adelaide, where they joined students from leading science specialist schools from around the world.

CSIA students Abbie Arnold, Kayleigh Williams, Ross Winters, Sam Nettles and Connor Williams, involved in several inspiring science-based activities alongside their peers from various countries including Thailand, Singapore, Japan, Canada, China and Korea.

Shane Egglestone, science teacher at CSIA, said: “Not only was the visit tremendously educational, our students were also able to experience a fantastic week of culture; staying with local families who helped them enjoy every aspect of Australian life.

“Without question, it was an incredibly enriching two weeks, with students making lifelong friends and memories and having experiences which will support them throughout the rest of their lives.”

Mr Egglestone added: “They were able to use cutting edge technologies such as 3D printers and robot programming software which they were all very excited about.”

In addition, the students presented a science project to an audience of teachers and peers, which they had been preparing for several months prior to the trip, and faced challenging questions from a panel of experts.

The maturity and professionalism of the group was also recognised by staff at the ASMS, when they asked CSIA student Sam Nettles to speak at the closing ceremony of the Science fair.

Jen Ward, mathematics teacher at CSIA, added: “I am absolutely delighted with the positive feedback our students received from the judging panels and this is down to the hard work and dedication that they show on a daily basis.”

The group went on numerous excursions which included visiting wildlife parks, museums and a boat trip.

Abbie Arnold said: “The chance to feed and interact with real life Australian animals such as koala bears and kangaroos was one that I will not be forgetting in a hurry.”

Ross Winter added: “Whilst staying with my host family, they took me to Sellick’s Point where I was able to see stars that weren’t affected by light pollution, such as the southern cross.”

The principal at CSIA, Ian Kenworthy, said: “In today’s digital world, geographic borders no longer exist and the skills developed by interacting with other cultures are becoming increasingly valuable.

“It’s our aim for all students to become global citizens, providing them with the opportunity to interact and immerse themselves in different cultures. We commend the fantastic work of our students at the International Science Fair and for being such fantastic representatives of CSIA.”