Gifted Education Program News

Tournament of Minds 2021

Tournament is back, in its original and best format. Marist College Ashgrove team registrations are OPEN for students from Year 5 – Year 10. Registering is simple. 

Either:

• follow this link;
• go to the Learning Portal/Co-curricular/Competitions/TOM; or
• email Ms Stevens.

If you know what you’d like to do, then please nominate your preferred discipline – Language and Literature, Social Sciences, STEM or The ARTS. If you’re in Year 11 or 12, you can register as a Mentor so that you can share your wisdom and experience with the younger boys. 

Don’t know anything about Tournament of Minds? Come to a meeting during Break 1 on either Wednesday 14 July or Thursday 15 July in Room 402 and we’ll try to explain it to you. You can also have a bit of a taste of Tournament by attending the TOM MINI CHALLENGE WORKSHOP on Thursday 22 July from 3:15pm – 6:30pm. 

Tournament is a creative problem-solving competition. Your team of 7 will be given an open-ended question for which you need to develop a response, a possible solution. Put together a skit to tell your audience about the problem and your solution, make your props and costumes and have fun while you’re doing it. How hard can that be? 

Any questions, come to the meetings or email Ms Stevens (stevensm@marash.qld.edu.au).

CyberTaipan

CyberTaipan is an Australian Youth Cyber Defence Competition modelled on the US Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot program.

Throughout the competition rounds, teams of students are provided with a set of virtual images that represent different operating systems. Over a six-hour period, each team receives points for finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, strengthening systems, and maintaining critical services. Teams compete for a chance to represent their school or community group in the CyberTaipan National Final.

CyberTaipan is open to high school-aged students with an interest in - or willingness to learn about - cybersecurity, defensive countermeasures and securing virtual networks.

Why is CyberTaipan important?

CyberTaipan is based on a proven framework for educating and inspiring high school students towards further education and careers in cybersecurity and other STEM subjects. CyberTaipan forms the Australian arm of a growing global Youth Cyber Defence Challenge Network that started in the United States as CyberPatriot and has since expanded to the United Kingdom, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

Impact reports from the CyberPatriot program (US) confirm that participants are far more likely to:

• pursue STEM education after high school
• pursue 4-year higher education
• consider careers in cybersecurity and the technical workforce.

If you are interested in participating in CyberTaipan 2021, you need to attend the training sessions starting on Friday 16 July, at 7:30am in Room 403. You also need to contact Ms Stevens by 3:30pm Wednesday 14 July to register your interest. You don’t need to have a team – we will find a team for you. 

Roly Sussex Short Story Competition

The 2021 ESU Roly Sussex Short Story Competition is now open for entries. 

This prized literary award is designed to foster original creative writing of outstanding quality, including experimental, challenging or thought-provoking work. 

The English-Speaking Union (Queensland) is delighted to have Professor Roly Sussex as our partner in English. Professor Sussex is an Emeritus Professor of Applied Language Studies at the University of Queensland. He is one of Australia's leading champions for language and languages. His ABC Radio program A Word in Your Ear has been running for 24 years. 

Prize Categories

Open Category

First Prize: $7500

Second Prize: $1500

Highly Commended 

Secondary School Category

First Prize: $1000

Second Prize: $500

Highly Commended 

Entries

Students should submit their entries to Ms Stevens by Tuesday 31 August for review and 

feedback. 

The closing date for submissions is Thursday 30 September. 

Adults and former students interested in submitting entries please find the information, conditions and entry form at https://www.esu.org.au/2021-roly-sussex-short-story-competition/ or contact Majella Stevens (stevensm@marash.qld.edu.au).  

Other Term 3 Programs and Competitions  

ESU Senior Division Public Speaking Competition

Monday 19th July. Registrations must be finalised by Wednesday 14 July. Email Ms Stevens for the topic and registration details. 

Future Problem Solving

Preparation for the Qualifying Problem continues from Tuesday 13 July. Meetings each Tuesday in Break 1 in Room 402. Brisbane Workshop on Tuesday 20 July.

Maths/Science Club

Program recommences in WEEK 3 on Tuesday 27 July. 

Model UN Program

Commences in Week 3 on Thursday 29 July. New students are always welcome. 

Details will be available prior to the event so students can gather information about the topic of the Resolution. 

Public Speaking Program

Continues on Wednesday afternoons from 3:20pm - 4:45pm commencing on July 14. Presentation evening will be in Week 4 of Term 3.