Magis report 

College Public Speaking Champions

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 College Public Speaking Competition. The speeches delivered by all grand finalists were exemplary, and the results were exceptionally close. Special thanks to Magis alumni Yvie Rigg (College Captain for the Class of 2023), Benjamin Linsten (Magis Captain for the Class of 2020), Alexandra Panther (Class of 2020) and Aden Gleghorn (Class of 2019) for adjudicating the grand final. Trophies will be awarded to students at our Magis Awards Breakfast later this year. 

Our 2024 College Public Speaking Champions are: 

College Chess Tournament Quarter-final

The quarter-finals of our College Chess Tournament were played this week, and we congratulate the following students who will be progressing to the semi-finals: 

• James Sommerfield (Year 8) 
• Stavros Karafilakis (Year 11)
• Massimo Torre (Year 12) – 2023 Grandmaster 

Special mention to Henry Wysocki (Year 5) who, though knocked out by a Year 11 in the quarters, was the youngest student to not only compete in the tournament but also the youngest student to make it to the finals. An exceptional effort Henry, well done! Semi-final fixtures have been emailed to chess players and can be found on the Magis Noticeboard and in SEQTA notices. We wish all our players the best of luck with their next game – it is sure to be an exciting one! 

Debating

Our success continued with Round 5 of the WA Debating League (WADL) Schools Debating Competition (SDC), with the majority of our teams securing a decisive win in their final impromptu debate. It was a big week for our Senior Team, with debates held on both Tuesday and Thursday nights. Whilst Round 5 marks the end of the WADL Debating season for some of our teams, we are eagerly anticipating the announcement of which teams have secured a place in the finals next term. With that said, we do have four teams that have Make-Up Rounds (MUR) next week. These teams are aware of the dates and times of their debates and an email has been sent to parents. Please note: All MUR debates will be held at Mount Lawley Senior High School. A copy of our fixtures and a map of the MUR debate location can be found below. For those students who wish to develop their debating skills further, we encourage you to sign up for British Parliamentary Debating in Term 3 and, or the International Debating Championships, which will take place in Term 4. Further details can be found in Teams or below in ‘Magis: Opportunities to do more’.

Invitation to the Magis Personal Project Exhibition

Next week, our Years 7 and 8 Magis elective students will display their Personal Projects in an exhibition at the Thomas More Exhibition Centre on Friday 21 June, between 7:30am and 8:45am. This will mark the culmination of many months of hard work and planning, and we very much look forward to sharing with students, staff, and parents in the celebration of our talented students. 

What’s happening next week?

Besides the Years 7 and 8 Magis Personal Project Exhibition, we also have Make-Up Round Debates for selective teams, the semi-finals of our College Chess Tournament, and our Mock Trials Team have a civil trial at the Supreme Court. Another big week for Magis!

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

Shakespeare Incursion

Next term, the Magis Program will be hosting The Players, from the Bell Shakespeare Company, for a wonderful afternoon of Shakespeare immersion. A key aspect of our GATE program is providing opportunities for our students to learn 'more'. It is important for our students to be exposed to a wide range of genres, styles, and topics. Learning about Shakespeare gives students a glimpse at another world, and it helps improve their logical thinking processes, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness.

The incursion will be held on Friday 19 July (Term 3, Week 1), during periods 5 and 6. Students will take part in a short activity prepared by our Shakespeare Club students. This will be followed by a performance of Shakespeare is Dead and then a Q&A with the actors. 

Middle School Ethics Olympiad

Ethics Olympiad provides students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. It is designed to get students thinking, talking, and ultimately working together on some of the tough moral issues of our time. Its objective is to do more than just help students think through ethical issues: It is to teach students how to think through ethical issues together, as fellow citizens in a complex moral and political community. This international competition is open for students in Years 7 to 9. Team positions are highly coveted, with only 10 spots available. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 24 June (Week 20). A training clinic will be held in Term 3, with the competition scheduled for Term 4.

International Debating Championships

International Debating Championships provide quality debating teaching and tournaments for Australian and international schools, continuing to develop students’ public speaking skills, analytical ability, and general knowledge. The tournament will be held entirely online via Zoom on Friday nights during Term 4 of the NSW school term. It is open to students in Years 7-10 across Australia, New Zealand and Asia and will be conducting two divisions; Junior (Years 7-8), and Senior (Years 9-10). The tournament will be adjudicated by qualified and experienced university debating adjudicators. We will be holding debate development training seminars in Term 3, in the lead-up to the Term 4 competition. Expressions of interest are to be emailed to the Head of Magis by Friday 2 August (Term 3, Week 3).

Junior Gifted Stretch

We are in the process of selecting 12 students across Years 7 to 9 to take part in the 2024 Junior Stretch and Challenge Conference, in conjunction with Academy Learning and Thriving Minds. This transformative event is crafted to unleash the full potential of gifted minds, with a specific focus on STEM-related themes. Nurturing self-discovery, innovation, and intellectual growth, the conference is designed to inspire ambition. By attending, students will be inspired to think deeply, gain valuable insights, and develop skills essential for future success. The conference will be held on Friday 30 August (Term 3, Week 7).

The Global Voices Fellowship

Attention Year 12 students – applications are now open for the Global Voices Fellowship. This life-changing program aims to upskill and develop the next generation of Australian leaders to contribute to domestic and global decision-making. This is a fully funded scholarship, with all domestic and international flights, accommodations, breakfasts, visas, insurance, and registration fees covered. For more information click here or speak with the Head of Magis.

Shakespeare Club 

 Are you a fan of the Bard? Or interested in extending your literature knowledge further? Why not join our College Shakespeare Club? The Club's mission is to foster enjoyment in reading and encourage academic discussion of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. For further details or registration, please email the Head of Magis. 

Term 2 Calendar

You can keep up to date with Magis events by following the Term 2 calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis - Gifted & Talented Program