Magis report 

Mock Trials

It has been another very busy week for the Magis program. Our Mock Trials team won their civil trial, in Round 3 of the Law Society of Western Australia Mock Trial Competition, which was held at the WA Supreme Court on Monday evening. Our team went against Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC), appearing for the Defendant in a civil case. The three issues in dispute at trial were firstly, whether the defendant breached their duty of care; secondly, if there was a breach of duty, whether the injuries suffered by the Plaintiff occurred as a result of the Defendant’s breach of duty; and thirdly, whether the plaintiff contributed entirely or partially to their injuries due to being intoxicated. Whilst Mock Trials is certainly a team effort, special mention must be made to Felix Frichot (Year 12), who was so in character as the defendant, he spoke with an accent throughout the trial, much to the Judge’s amusement. I would like to take this opportunity to commend our outstanding Mock Trials team who had a very short turn around in preparation for this trial, due to their Senior School examinations and, despite their busy schedules, which included attending Music Camp last weekend, enthusiastically attended our lunchtime meetings and drew up the required case materials. An exceptional effort – well done. I would also like to thank Mr Stephen Harris (HASS Department), for his assistance at court.

Our Round 3 Team included:  

• Junior Barrister: Meg Derbyshire
• Senior Barrister: Thomas Syminton
• Instructing Solicitor: Lucy Galvin
• Witness 1 (The Defendant): Felix Frichot
• Witness 2: Asha Paton
• Judges Associate: Hannah Johnson

College Chess Tournament Semi Final

And there were two…. We have had 73 students from Years 5 through to Year 12 take part in this year's College Chess Tournament. Since the beginning of term, we have held heats, which have knocked out players after each round. Following our Semi-Final, which was held on Tuesday (see photos below), we can now announce that our 2024 grand finalists are James Sommerfield (Year 8) and reigning College Grandmaster Massimo Torre (Year 12). Our Chess Grand Final will be played on Tuesday, 25 June, at lunch, in the Library. Who will be crowned our 2024 College Grandmaster? Sommerfield or Torre? Campion or Ward? We wish both players best of luck with their game – it is sure to an exciting one! 

Debating

The Make-Up Rounds for the WA Debating League (WADL) Schools Debating Competition (SDC) were held at Mount Lawley Senior High School on Tuesday and Wednesday night. Our success in debating continued with wins across all but one of our debates, with a very narrow (one point) loss. This round completes the initial debating tournament, we eagerly await the decision on which teams will be progressing to the State Finals next term. For those students who wish to develop their debating skills further, we encourage you to sign up for the British Parliamentary Debating in Term 3 and, or the International Debating Championships, which will take place in Term 4. Further details can be found in Teams or below in ‘Magis: Opportunities to do more’.

Personal Project Exhibition

This morning our Years 7 and 8 Magis elective students displayed their Personal Projects in an exhibition held at the Thomas More Exhibition Centre. This marked the culmination of many months of hard work and planning, and we very much look forward to sharing a full account of the exhibition along with photos of some of our student exhibits, in next week’s College Newsletter. 

What’s happening next week?

On Tuesday, we will be holding a Magis Assembly in the Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre during Homeroom. This will afford us a wonderful opportunity to come together as a cohort. We will recap the events from Semester 1, congratulate our Semester 1 students on the completion of their Elective course, and discuss what will be happening next term for competitions and events. Next week will commence training for Tournament of Minds and Creative Edge, two Term 3 competitions. We also look forward to releasing the topic for our College Creative Writing Competition. More details follow in next week’s College Newsletter.

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

Shakespeare Incursion

Next term, the Magis Program will be hosting The Players, from the Bell Shakespeare Company, for a wonderful afternoon of Shakespeare immersion. A key aspect of our GATE program is providing opportunities for our students to learn 'more'. It is important for our students to be exposed to a wide range of genres, styles, and topics. Learning about Shakespeare gives students a glimpse at another world, and it helps improve their logical thinking processes, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness.

The incursion will be held on Friday 19 July (Term 3, Week 1), during periods 5 and 6. Students will take part in a short activity prepared by our Shakespeare Club students. This will be followed by a performance of Shakespeare is Dead and then a Q&A with the actors. 

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 for students in Years 7 to 9. Team positions are highly coveted, with only 10 spots available. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 24 June (Week 20). 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 Friday 2 August (Term 3, Week 3).

Junior Gifted Stretch

We are in the process of selecting 12 students across Years 7 to 9 to take part in the 2024 Junior Stretch and Challenge Conference, in conjunction with Academy Learning and Thriving Minds. This transformative event is crafted to unleash the full potential of gifted minds, with a specific focus on STEM-related themes. 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 Friday 30 August (Term 3, Week 7).

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 click here or speak with the Head of Magis.

Shakespeare Club 

 Are you a fan of the Bard? Or interested in extending your literature knowledge further? Why not join our College Shakespeare Club? The Club's mission is to foster enjoyment in reading and encourage academic discussion of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. For further details or registration, please email the Head of Magis. 

Term 2 Calendar

You can keep up to date with Magis events by following the Term 2 calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis - Gifted & Talented Program