Academic Enrichment  

Artwork: Annie Liao, Year 12, Ridgeway Campus 

Alice Waite, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus

This year’s debating season was much more challenging than the previous years, but equally, if not more, rewarding. My team of Year 11s were promoted to debate in the A grade, where the level of competition forced us to stretch and develop at a great pace. Topics such as “We should hold company directors and CEO’s criminally responsible for security breaches”, forced us to think critically and develop well-rounded arguments. Ultimately, a close final debate, on the topic “Schools should only teach music from the last 40 years”, saw us lose to Ivanhoe Team 4 who have been declared finalists for the DAV Schools Competition 2025 along with A-Grade Team 1. Despite our team’s close loss, the excellent results for Ivanhoe as a whole reflect the vibrant debating program and the enthusiastic commitment of its members. The program has developed, run by Mr Henshall and Ms Camwell and led by debating captains Zoe and Peter. I’m very excited to see how the next DAV Schools Competition goes next year, but until then: good luck Ivanhoe for finals and the Greenway Cup!  

Tiora Gunatilake, Year 11, Plenty Campus 

I was extremely lucky to participate in the Northern Education Alliance Student Leadership Program for two years in a row. It was a chance for a few students from Years 10 and 11 Plenty Campus to participate in, to help them gain and enhance their confidence in leadership, aiding them in the achievement of leadership positions. The program mainly revolved around collaboration, public speaking, and critical thinking. In my first year of doing this program, I was convinced they had chosen the wrong person as I had not been very interested in leadership at Ivanhoe Grammar School. However, spending one day in this program showed me that leadership is not just “leading a group”, it’s about meeting new people, conducting fun activities and being a role model for those younger than you, as well as for yourself. It is about always putting the best version of yourself forward. I volunteered to do this program a second time because not only did I make many new friends through this program, but I genuinely felt as I had improved in my public speaking skills and was more confident in myself. I had a sense that I was able to collaborate with strangers more than I was able to prior to this program and I believe that I am now ready to apply for leadership opportunities at School. I strongly recommend this program for anyone who is interested in leadership but are not yet confident enough to pursue it. 

Olivia Oates, Year 11, Ridgway Campus 

The Australian Maths Competition was a challenging but rewarding experience. It involved solving a series of 30 problems, which required critical thinking and a lot of persistence. I liked that the competition wasn’t just about testing knowledge but also seeing how far you could go with your problem-solving skills. It was also good to be able to practice putting myself under time pressure and exam conditions as the start of Year 12 draws closer. The competition gave me a sense of achievement and showed me how much I’ve improved in maths, particularly over the past 12 months. Overall, the Australian Mathematics Competition was a valuable opportunity to test myself and to grow in both confidence and problem-solving ability. 

P.S. The answer to Question 25 was 717.  

Alice Waite, Year 11, Ridgeway Campus 

Recently, Ivanhoe Grammar School had the privilege to host the Thriving Minds Conference at La Trobe University, an opportunity to connect with numerous schools in a day of lecture-style sessions. The day was centred around philosophy, beginning by looking at Plato, followed by what defines evil. We then listened to Julie Arliss’s presentation on truth and logic, where real-world examples were drawn to understand the processes of induction, deduction and abduction. Finally, an interactive debate, ‘What makes the world go round, love or money?’ allowed us to engage our public speaking skills and understand the unique perspectives of our peers. Harriet and Zaynab both contributed speeches during the day, representing Ivanhoe Grammar School to an excellent standard. 

I would strongly encourage everyone to participate in these conferences, because they are an excellent opportunity to engage with reasoning, thinking and perspective outside of the classroom. Moreover, the university-style lectures and structure of the day is another way to prepare us for future studies. I loved it! 

Riley Tyebji, Year 10, Ridgeway Campus 

The Evatt Competition is a national public speaking and diplomacy competition run annually by the UN Youth Australia for students in Year 9 to Year 12. The competition simulates a United Nations Security Council meeting, and students are required to play the role of diplomats in dealing with world issues. 

Students take on the role of one of the UN Security Council member countries in pairs. The goal is to debate, negotiate and vote on real-world resolutions. It's not just arguing your position, it's negotiation, strategy and concession. Two predetermined topics and a surprise resolution are debated in three rounds, testing students' ability to think on their feet. 

After weeks of preparation and research, it is time to put our diplomatic skills into practice. These topics range from international security to humanitarian crises. Each team has a chance to present their country's stand on the issues and propose changes to the resolutions. The environment was fun and competitive with each team doing its best to persuade others and form alliances while staying in character as their nation. 

The Evatt Competition was a rewarding experience that opened all participants' eyes to international diplomacy and demonstrates that young people can be a significant voice in solving international problems.