John XXIII College Newsletter

Magis Report 

UN Youth WA State Conference

Last week, a group of Year 9 students represented our College at the 2025 UN Youth State Conference. This event gathered some of the State’s most exceptional students to learn about a diverse array of international and local issues. Held annually, the conference was run as a residential camp over three days. The State Conference allows students to engage in meaningful discussions on topics that are often only briefly touched on in the school curriculum. It also allows them to learn from experts and academia, and to develop their own opinions through peer learning. 

 

This year’s theme was ‘Politics and the Economy’. Our students learnt about Global Security and participated in amazing activities such as model UN debates, content-focused workshops, crisis simulations, and a General Assembly. They also heard from exciting speakers such as Senator Fatima Payman and the Hon. Hannah Beazley, Minister for Local Government, Disability Services, Volunteering, Youth, and the Gascoyne.

 

 

The UN State Conference was an amazing experience, and I’m truly grateful for having had the opportunity to take part. I learnt so much valuable information about global affairs. One of my favourite aspects of the program was making new connections and working alongside other like-minded people. It made for engaging conversations.

Henry McGlue

 

The Conference provided a forum for Youth Voice – to express our diverse views and to ask elected representatives about youth issues. One of the highlights for me was the Interactive Problem-Solving activity. In this session, we were divided into groups and were assigned a country or corporation to represent. As a crisis unfolded, we had to develop strategies and take actions to gain an advantage over the other groups. This experience pushed us to work together under pressure and to find solutions that would benefit our collective interests —these skills will certainly be useful in the real world.

Zachary Sartorello

 

A highlight for me was the General Assembly debates. I found the activity hugely rewarding, and it certainly helped develop my sense of change, my knowledge of the economy, as well as improve my advocacy skills. I highly recommend this opportunity for anyone who is interested in international affairs.

Isaac McCready

 

Save the date

Our Semester 1 Years 7 and 8 Magis Elective students will display their Personal Projects in an exhibition held at the Thomas More Exhibition Centre on Thursday, 26 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. Invitations will be sent to our Semester 1 Magis Elective parents closer to the date, but we would like to take this opportunity for members of our Magis community to mark the date in their calendar.

 

Preparing for Term 2

The term break is a wonderful time for us to rest and recharge (energy and mindfulness), but it also affords us a terrific opportunity to get ahead and prepare. Term 2 will be a busy term for all, with competitions and events taking place, as well as Senior School exams. All Magis Elective classes and competitions have a Teams file with documents, handbooks, past papers, and/or other helpful preparation materials:

  • Our Magis Elective students are reminded that their semester-long Personal Projects will be exhibited in the Thomas More Exhibition Centre in Week 19. Ideally, students want to have completed 60% of their project before the beginning of Term 2.
  • Debating students will be moving to the impromptu debate format next term. Our wonderful debate tutor has provided students with a usual guide for preparation, which can be found in their WADL channel.
  • Mock Trials students have another Criminal Trial early next term. Useful weblinks can be found in the Mock Trials manual.
  • Our Senior Ethics Teams have case studies to read through. We would also recommend reading articles from The Ethics Centre.
  • Our da Vinci students have past papers that they can use to test their knowledge, as well as helpful weblinks on their da Vinci channel.
  • Our World Scholars have a curriculum to learn.
  • Chess students can practice ahead of the College Chess Tournament, and
  • Any student considering entering the College Public Speaking Competition has a 3-minute speech to write and rehearse.

So…lots to do, to be ahead and excel in Term 2! You can keep up to date with our schedule of competitions and events by viewing the Magis calendar – which can be accessed by clicking on the link below.  Wishing everyone a happy Easter!

 

2025 Magis Competitions & Events Calendar.pdf

 

Magis: Opportunities to do more!

College Chess Tournament

Entries are now open for our annual College Chess Tournament. If you think you have what it takes to be our next College ‘Grandmaster’, or you simply want to have fun, then email your name, Year and House to the Head of Magis. All participants will win their House valuable points – with trophies to be awarded to our finalists. Pictured below is a photo taken at our Grand Final last year. See the attached flyer for further information. Entries close Monday, 9 May (Week 12).

 

College Public Speaking Competition

Entries are now open for our annual College Public Speaking Competition. This is a prestigious event on our College Calendar, with the grand final attended by students, parents, staff, and alumni. Students can speak up to three minutes on a topic of their choice. Heats will be held in Weeks 14 and 15, with the top three students from each year group progressing to the Grand Final. Trophies and medals will be awarded to the top public speaker and the runner-up public speaker in each year group. These prizes will be awarded at our Magis Awards Breakfast in Term 4. Please see the flyer for further information. Entries are due Friday, 16 May (Week 13).

 

Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Awards

Please note: This competition is suited to students who have completed or are familiar with an Ethics Olympiad. Students in Years 7 to12 are invited to submit a case which, if chosen, would be used internationally for both the Middle School and Senior Ethics Olympiads. Information can be found on the attached flyer and/or on the competition's website. Prize money and prestige to be won! Cases are to be submitted directly to Ethics Olympiad by 25 April (Term 1 school holidays).

 

STEM Design Competition

Catholic Education WA (CEWA) have launched this STEM design competition, with the aim to get student perspectives. Put your innovation into action and design a digital logo or graphic that visually depicts what CEWA STEM is all about. This competition is open to all CEWA students. Winning designs will be displayed and celebrated at the 2025 CEWA STEM Showcases. To submit an entry, email the Head of Magis, your design by Monday, 12 May (Term 2, Week 13). Please note: Digital tools could include (but are not limited to) canva, seesaw, sketches, pages, word, keynote etc.

 

Tournament of Minds 

Tournament of Minds (TOM) is an international problem-solving program for teams of students. TOM aims to enhance the potential of our youth by developing diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment. Teams will be required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Languages & Literature, or Society & Environment (HASS) disciplines. Regional and state finals are to be held at Edith Cowan University in September, with the International final to be held in Sydney in November. For more information, please visit the competition website or speak with the Head of Magis. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 12 May (Term 2, Week 13). 

 

What Matters? Writing Competition

Inspired by Gough Whitlam’s commitment to involving young people in shaping Australia’s future, the What Matters? Writing competition is currently open to school students in Years 5 to 12 from Australia. Responding to the simple question ‘what matters?’, entrants are free to express their views on any matter they care about. Part writing exercise, part civics and citizenship activity, What Matters? Is the perfect opportunity to empower students to raise their voices on issues that are important to them and know that their perspectives are valuable, no matter their age, background or viewpoint. Entries can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry or prose of up to 600 words, and submitted online. Please visit the website Whitlam Institute What Matters for more information, including samples of past winners. Major cash prizes to be won! Entries close Friday, 16 May (Week 13).

 

 

Astronomy Club

Calling all stargazers and astronomy lovers! Join our College’s Astronomy Club, where you’ll learn more about the night sky and the history behind constellations, gain confidence with telescopes, and discover tips to make stargazing more enjoyable. It is a great social club where you’ll meet like-minded people of all ages, who share a passion for learning and stargazing. The Astronomy Club meets on the College Oval on various evenings throughout the year – and has a few events booked with the Perth Observatory. For more information, please email the Club Coordinator, Mr Peter Mazur (Mathematics Learning Area), or the Head of Magis. 

 

 

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis