John XXIII College Newsletter

Magis report 

Course Completed

 

Congratulations to all our Years 7 and 8 students on the successful completion of their Magis Elective Course. We look forward to welcoming a new cohort of students next year.

 

 

Henry McGlue said: 

What I loved most about the Magis course is the way in which the topics were taught, from the classroom discussions to the mentoring that we received from senior school students. I think my favourite part of Magis this Semester was debating. Learning public speaking skills and how to put forward a persuasive argument, I know how valuable these lessons have been, and will certainly refer to them in my future studies….I would say the course has given me the confidence and the passion to want to take part in more GATE competitions next year.

 

 

Amber Tana said: 

The topics that we studied were so unique and diverse. From Plato’s The Republic to debating why the rich should or shouldn’t pay more taxes. I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to work on a Semester long project – and being able to choose a topic which I was interested in and meant something to me. The project allowed me to delve deeper in my learning and understanding, and it was a really valuable experience exhibiting my work to the College community.

 

Orlando Ligovich said: 

It’s difficult to choose one thing, because all our topics and assessments were so different. I suppose the uniqueness and the variety is in itself what I enjoyed most about Magis. But if I had to choose, I would say that I really enjoyed our Ethics assessment – getting to have deep, intelligent, and respectful conversations around some difficult global youth issues was both challenging but also really interesting…I’m definitely looking forward to our classes next year. I’ve already chosen my new project topic.

Magis Awards

We congratulate Alessio Torre (Year 7) and Samuel Watts (Year 8) who were our Semester 2 Magis course winners. Alessio and Samuel received top course marks across a number of assessments including their Personal Project, which was displayed at our Magis exhibition last week.

 

We also congratulate Daniel Doran (Class of 2023) who was named this year’s recipient of the John XXIII College Magis Prize. Daniel received this accolade at last night’s Presentation Evening, for his outstanding commitment to the Magis Program throughout his time at the College. Daniel will be studying a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at The Australian National University next year. We wish Daniel every success in his future endeavours.

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

New Extension Initiative in 2024

We are excited to be offering a new extension program in 2024, in collaboration with Scotch College, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Sacred Heart College and other schools. This programme will offer many extension opportunities to support capable students including after-school online courses that take deep dives into subjects beyond the curriculum and are led by passionate experts and partners in industry and academia. The courses are all written with high school student engagement in mind and explicitly teaching both content and skills. A sample of the courses available include Human Rights law, health and medical science, mechatronics, rhetoric and speechmaking, youth investors, leadership, and creative writing. An information evening will be held on Tuesday 5 December. To find out more information, please contact the Magis Coordinator.

Eye to Eye Photographic Competition

As part of its 40th year celebrations, the Lions Eye Institute is running the Eye to Eye Photographic Competition in Western Australia. Entries are open 6 December 2023 to 16 January 2024. There are four categories focused on eyes and eye health. Entries are open to Western Australian residents and there is an Under 18 category called Seeing Through a Child’s Eye, with a $500 cash prize to be won.

 

If you are looking for a creative opportunity over the school holidays - take your best Western Australian photo of human eyes, and animal eyes or show us the world through your eyes. Competition details and entry information can be found at https://eyetoeye.lei.org.au

Stargirls STEM Camp

Are you interested in pursuing astronomy, engineering, or data science as a career path? Join high school girls and other underrepresented genders for a free Astronomy Day Camp from 23 to 25 January 2024, hosted by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). This camp is open to all high school students in Years 9 to 12 whose gender identities are underrepresented in astronomy, engineering, or data science.

Highlights include:

  • Meet and talk with women who have made their careers in astrophysics, engineering and data science;
  • Use research-grade telescopes to take and process your own deep space images and take part in a night-time stargazing event; and
  • Visit leading space research centres, including Curtin and UWA ICRAR campuses, along with a visit to the Pawsey Supercomputer Research Centre.

Positions are limited, so early applications are essential. See the flyer below for further details. Please notify the Magis Coordinator (Ms Farley) and Head of Science (Mr Carrello) if you choose to apply.

 

Daisy Farley

Magis Coordinator – Gifted and Talented