Academic Excellence

Tournament of Minds

This term our Academic Excellence students successfully participated in the Tournament of Minds (TOM) competition. The students formed three teams and had six weeks to find the solution to a ‘Super Challenge’ and create a visual presentation of the solution. Two teams based their solution on STEM principles while the third team focussed on the Arts.

The TOM problem was to make a discovery that was from the past and could affect the future. The students had to show where it had come from, how it was discovered and form an unlikely group of people to discover it. The STEM students had to use their scientific skills to produce an item that could test their discovery. The ARTS students had to use their writing and dramatic presentation skills to show their solution.

The students showed great enthusiasm and dedication to get the job done. Credit to them for their dedication to the competition. They gave time before, during and after school to attend extra sessions to be find the best solution and way to present it. Their communication via TEAMS and Google docs was awesome, as they didn't have to stay at school and be in the one place to meet and work on the challenge. The use of technology to film and edit their solutions was great. Their teamwork was fabulous.

We received some positive feedback from the judges. Our Medical Masters STEM team received a Distinction, that’s top 10 per cent of scores. The Mineralists STEM team received Honours, top 20% of scores. What fantastic news!

Thank you to Mrs Miranda and Miss MaGee for being team facilitators and to the many staff that assisted the teams with their time and expertise.

Well done students, we’re very proud of your achievement!

Teams:

Medical Masters – Sophie Griffiths, Jonathan Le, Andre Flores, Dave Dhall, Zoelene Ontiveros, Josh Navarro, Jeswin Jiji and Chloe Perez.

The Mineralists – Isabella Hulm, Theodore Ciungwanara, Sheryl Matchado, Baljodh Uppal, Claire Decena, Sachin Wijesinghe and Francis Nono.

The Aurorians – Isabelle Cayoun, Judy Nawa, Amal Suresh, Kendrick Rivadenera, Katriel Rivadenera, Gyanbi Shrestha, Renita Thomas.

Student accounts:

• Andre Flores – STEM team, Medical Masters - This year's Tournament of Minds was my first but that didn't mean that I was excited as I knew it would be hard work, and it doesn't mean I didn't know what to do as the returning members made it clear what we had to do. Our team consisted of five Year Seven’s (Me, Zoelene, Chloe, and Dave) and two Year Nines (Jonathan and Sophie). We encountered a few problems including students away on Year Nine camp, multiple script rewrites, and organisation among some of the members, but we all worked together to make an excellent project.
• Dave Dhall – STEM team, Medical Masters - My group and I had lots of fun competing in Tournament of Minds. In this competition we learned so much the goal of the program which was to make a 5-minute movie about a journey. For our story we had explorers finding an ice cave in a mountain where they encounter a machine. I have learned many skills during Tournament of Minds; it has truly made me learn skills I will remember. It was just so much fun to go and film, learn to use a green screen and become a leader plus taking on roles in the group. When we started doing the Program we were so scared of the time limit we had, plus to make things worse the Year 9’s of our group left for their camp and so us Year 7’s took up the role and got lots of work done. This is an experience I will remember for ever.
• Sheryl Matchado – STEM team, The Mineralists - Tournament of Minds was really great experience with lots of fun and happiness. It was a chance to work and communicate together with other people we don't know. It was fun acting out and putting all the clips together. With all the bloopers our team had laughter everywhere. I have to say this has entertained us all very much. This has been really fun to learn new things. I have to say thank you to all the coordinators who helped us throughout our journey. ​I would like to do this again!!
• Gyanbi Shrestha – ARTS team, The Aurorians - Tournament of Minds was a great experience especially helping us develop amazing skills and tactics. It was held for 6 weeks. We received a challenge that our team had to accomplish. My team (The Aurorians) was the Arts team and we had to use our prior knowledge and artistic skills to make an act/play that would entertain people. It was quite a challenge thinking of a story, but the most challenging part was when the Year 9's went to camp and there were only a few people left to finish the script and make backgrounds, costumes etc. Filming was really fun and there were tons of bloopers! I would really like to do this again because it was a great experience!!

Thanks to all the teachers who supported us.

Homework Help

Year 7 Homework Help has been running this term to assist the Year 7 students with homework, revision and general organisation (diary, locker, etc). A big thank you to Miss White and the Year 9 Mentors that have volunteered their time to assist the Year 7s.

Mrs L Cardenia (Academic Excellence coordinator)