Upon accepting his ONU Centennial Trust award along with a cheque for $10,000 at a College assembly in August, Edmond Cheng expressed his gratitude to the teachers who encouraged and nurtured not just his exceptional academic ability but him as a whole person. He said “I’ve learnt so much thanks to them, not just about their subjects, but how to think, how to write, how to argue, how to use Photoshop to create an image of an animal with a wolf’s head and a bird’s body, how to use a Blue’s scale to improvise on a saxophone, how to play the Italian card games, Scopa and Briscola, how to run an effective zone defense, how to plan a camping trip, how to organise fundraising efforts, how to say hot chocolate in Nepali and I think, above all, how to appreciate the enormous range of opportunities we have access to here at Newington.” He also acknowledged his teachers for inspiring him to explore overseas study options.

The ONU Centennial Trust selection panel unanimously agreed that Edmond was a very special candidate, talented in many areas and with an extraordinary list of academic accomplishments. The financial assistance provided by this year’s Trust endowment will allow Edmond to read Economics at St John’s College, Cambridge University. Edmond’s achievements include the Dux award from 2010 to 2012 and the John F Lincoln Prize for Dux of the Year 12 IB Diploma Programme. In 2010, whilst in Year 10, Edmond was awarded full marks and ranked first in the NSW HSC Mathematics exam. He won the UNSW Mathematics prize in 2011 and 2012 and numerous other prestigious competitions as well as making outstanding contributions to College activities.

Edmond recognises the extensive resource that is the Old Boys’ network, saying, “the existence of the Centennial Trust award and other ONU support networks and initiatives, further shows just how much Newington has to offer. Newington has always supported my endeavours and I hope that someday, I will be able to more than return the favour.”