Magis Report
Ethics Olympiad
Earlier this week, our Senior Ethics Team competed in the Australasian division of the Ethics Olympiad. This is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students analyse and discuss complex ethical issues facing the world today. Our team competed against schools from across Australia, Singapore, India and South Korea – and we are excited to announce that they were awarded the bronze medal for their performance.
Congratulations to our Senior Ethics Team:
- Chloe Bell
- Felicity Finch
- Catherine Gazia
- Noa Mintz
We would also like to congratulate Year 8 student, Kai Tyrrell, who received Honourable Mention in the Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Awards, for his submission titled ‘Hunger Games’. This year saw a remarkable doubling in the number of cases submitted compared to last year, showcasing a clear growth in engagement and excellence. The quality of the cases continues to impress, reflecting the dedication and effort of all contributors. Entries came from schools across a wide spectrum, spanning Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Canada, China, the United States, and Singapore. The global reach of these submissions highlights the diverse perspectives and ethical considerations being explored in the Ethics Olympiad.
Please note: We are now accepting expressions of interest for our Junior Ethics Team, who will represent the College at the Middle School Ethics Olympiad later this year.
Da Vinci Decathlon
On Monday and Tuesday, our top Years 7 to 10 scholars competed in the 2025 da Vinci Decathlon held at the University of Western Australia. The Decathlon is a national academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Our students competed against over 60 teams across ten disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, and legacy. The standard of work submitted by students is always exceptionally high, and the competition is fierce. We congratulate our students on an outstanding effort. Our junior teams came second in Legacy, third in Creative Producers and third in Engineering, whilst our senior teams placed first in Ideation, second in Legacy, and third in Cartography. It should be noted that all our teams were ranked in the top ten across a number of disciplines, which is an exceptional achievement. It was a fantastic two days and a wonderful opportunity for our Magis students to interact with like-minded students from other WA schools.
Our Year 7 students were excited to strike a pensive pose beside Socrates' statue outside Winthrop Hall, having recently learnt about the Greek Philosophers in their Magis Elective class. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Connellan, Ms Rogers, and Ms Bell, for their assistance at the competition, and to all staff who assisted with tutoring sessions in the lead up.
| Our Year 7 da Vinci Team | April Bauchop Alessio de Pardo Alia Hartfield Pippa Macdougall Madeleine Miller Amelia Morton Alonso Romano Mila Tegg |
|---|---|
| Our Year 8 da Vinci Team | Sienna D’Alessandro Miguel de Freitas Rocha Tilly Finucane Adeline Fityan Elliot Hurley Niamh Jennings Harriet Scanlan Ciara Thornton |
| Our Year 9 da Vinci Team | Sophie Graieg Charlie O’Toole Luke Nicol Jenna Romano James Sommerfield Christopher Tan Charlie Tegg Alessio Torre |
| Our Year 10 da Vinci Team | Valentina Cabrera Carcuro Charlotte Foot Maia Kim Jonah Liew Alyssa Mignacca Ethan Soh Joshua Standen Samuel Watts |
Academic Mentoring
Our Year 10 and 11 students met during the week, for an academic mentoring session. The aim of this program is to promote positive peer cooperation by providing a forum for our GATE students to exchange tips and share advice, as it pertains to their academic studies and co-curricular. Magis Captain, Jennifer Ong, led the session which focused on revision tips and exam advice, ahead of the upcoming senior school examination period.
WA Debating League Update
Round 4 of the WA Debating League (WADL) Schools Debating Competition (SDC) will be held this Tuesday 20 May (Week 14). Students decided on their speaker order at their debating meeting earlier in the week. A copy of our Round 4 fixtures can be found below along with a map of the debate venue. Parents can find a copy of the full SDC draw on the WADL website. Please note: Details pertaining to our after-school debate tutoring sessions are communicated to students through their Teams channel. We wish all our debating teams the best of luck with their next debate.
What’s happening next week?
Next week will be another busy week for our Magis Program. On Monday evening, we have Round 2 of the WA Law Society Mock Trial Competition. On Tuesday evening, we have Round 4 of the WA Debating League. We will also be holding meetings for World Scholars, and our Year 11 and 12 student representatives will be taking part in an Academic Challenge. Heats will also take place for the College Chess Tournament and College Public Speaking Competition.
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.
Daisy Farley
Head of Magis – Gifted and Talented
Magis: Opportunities to do more!
Junior Gifted Stretch
We are in the process of selecting twelve Year 8 students to take part in the 2025 Junior Stretch and Challenge Conference, in conjunction with Oxford University and Thriving Minds. This transformative event is crafted to unleash the full potential of gifted minds, with a specific focus on philosophy, science and ethics. 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 Tuesday, 2 September (Term 3, Week 7).
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 to students in Years 7 to 9. Team positions are highly coveted, with only 10 spots available. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 23 June (Week 19). 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 Monday, 4 August (Term 3, Week 3).
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, please click the link below or speak with the Head of Magis.
Further information is available here.
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.