This is a competition that has been running in Western Australian primary schools since 1998. It began with two divisions of 18 teams playing in qualification rounds before a final, and has steadily grown in numbers. In 2005, there were four qualifying rounds, and in 2006, due to increasing interest from country areas, one of the qualifying rounds was held at Geraldton, from which three teams qualified to compete at the final in Perth.
A Geraldton heat occurred again in 2007 (with 18 teams), while a qualifying heat was held at Esperance (with 12 teams), from which one team won a place in the final. The year 2008 saw this support for Numero® increase, with five qualifying heats, one each in Geraldton and Esperance, and three in Perth.
In 2009, the competition grew to include four Perth heats and two country heats, and in 2010 grew again to five Perth heats and three country heats (including Bunbury for the first time). Last year’s challenge included over 50 schools from around the state and was the biggest competition to date.
2011 has seen the AFG Interschool Numero® Challenge continue to grow with ten heats this year, four in the country and six in Perth. Geraldton, Esperance and Bunbury have continued, with the addition of a heat in Manjimup, in the Warren-Blackwood region.
Teams compete for generous book prizes, at both heats and finals, while the winning teams in the final also win cash prizes for their school of $1000, $500 and $250 respectively.
Australian Finance Group (AFG)
Like Numero®, AFG originated here in WA, and, in fact, the Interschool Numero® Challenge is just one year younger than AFG. However, both have grown far beyond the boundaries of their state of origin. Numero® has spread, not only throughout English-speaking countries (including the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, USA and Canada), but also through SE Asia, Japan and Korea.
AFG has experienced spectacular growth and is Australia’s largest mortgage broker, and one of the faster growing holistic providers of financial services. We are honoured and proud to have developed this association with them. It is thanks to AFG that schools compete for prizes at both heats and finals, with generous cash prizes awarded to the top three schools in the final. 2010 began the awarding of extra cash prizes, with first place winning $1000, second place $500 and third place $250.
R.I.C. Publications
R.I.C. Publications gave their normal strong support, which included a voucher for $100 worth of educational products to each participating school.
Edwina Forward Engraving
Since the inception of this competition in 1998, Edwina Forward Engraving has provided all our trophies without charge. In 2007, they provided a new perennial shield, as well as engraved medallions for the winning team, to mark the 10th anniversary of the competition.
Champions 2011
From left to right: Roslyn Ladyman (Presenter), Glen Jakovich (Special Guest Presenter), Jackie Steer (Numero Coordinator, Rangeway PS), Brian McGuinness (R.I.C. Publications), Frank Schaper (Alzheimer’s Australia WA)
Winners: Rangeway Primary School (James King, Jack Simon, Daniel Day, Robert King)
The AFG Interschool Numero® Challenge for 2011
The 14th year of the Interschool Numero® Challenge for primary schools was an outstanding success for our winners, Rangeway Primary School. This is the second time that Rangeway has taken the honours. This year’s result was amazing, with the ‘Raiders’ winning each of the four events to become runaway winners by 120 points, the biggest margin ever in a grand final!
The next five places went to Campbell PS, Rangeway PS (Geraldton), Mt Tarcoola PS (Geraldton), Castletown PS (Esperance) and St Michael’s Catholic PS (Brunswick Junction) respectively. It was pleasing to note how well the country schools did this year, with five of the top six placed schools coming from our regional areas.
The other finalists included teams from the following schools, in alphabetical order; Attadale PS, Brighton Catholic PS, Campbell PS, Excelsior PS, Lake Gwelup PS, Parkwood PS, Pemberton DHS, Ranford PS, St Benedict’s Catholic PS and St Bernadette’s Catholic PS.
Guest of Honour: Our special guest to present the prizes in 2011 was again Mr Glen Jakovich, former West Coast Eagles champion. Glen is one of Western Australia’s highest profile and most respected AFL players. Playing 276 matches, he was a member of the AFL Premiership teams in 1992 and 1994, West Coast Eagles best and fairest in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2000, and All Australian in 1994 and 1995. Glen can now be heard regularly on 6PR and Channel 7.
Glen has been involved with the Alzheimer’s Australia WA’s ‘Memory Walk’, and his personal experiences and committed support for sufferers of Alzheimer’s disease and their carers has been an inspiration. We look forward to Glen’s continued association with Numero® in WA.
The final this year was hosted by Campbell Primary School.
