From AMC Success to Canberra; Tess Wheelers' Curious Minds Journey

Following Beaufort Secondary College’s outstanding achievement in this year’s Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), where our students earned an impressive 44 awards, our school was offered a highly coveted place in the national Curious Minds Program. This opportunity was extended to us by the Australian Mathematics Trust in recognition of the strength of our maths program and the exceptional performance of our students. After reviewing the achievements, growth and potential of eligible students, the Mathematics Association selected Tess Wheeler to represent Beaufort. Her curiosity, persistence and results made her the perfect candidate for this prestigious enrichment program. As part of the program, Tess travelled to Canberra to participate in the national summer camp — an inspiring week of hands-on STEM workshops, mentoring and collaboration. Below, Tess shares her reflections on this remarkable experience.

I’m really excited to share that I was selected to take part in the Curious Minds – Girls in STEM Program this year. This program supports girls in Years 8 and 9 who are interested in science, technology, engineering and maths, and is especially for those who might not get the same opportunities because of where they live or their background. Of the 120 girls selected from across the state, I was one of only 60 girls fortunate enough to attend the Canberra camp.

During the camp, I took part in five three-hour Supercharge Sessions in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth & Environmental Science and Engineering. Each session was hands-on and really challenging. I loved trying out experiments, building projects and learning about different areas of STEM. Physics was my favourite because I enjoyed exploring how things move and how forces work; it was fun to see science in action.

We also had two inspiring guest speakers who shared their journeys in STEM and talked about the challenges and rewards of working in science and technology. Their stories were really motivating and showed us that with curiosity and determination, we can achieve a lot in the STEM world.

One of my favourite parts of the camp though, wasn’t a workshop or an experiment, it was making new friends. It was amazing to meet other girls who are just as interested in STEM as I am. I loved being surrounded by people who were passionate and curious, and I know I’ll never forget the friends I made during the camp.

The excursions were another highlight of the program. At Questacon, I got to explore so many interactive exhibits and try out all sorts of experiments. It was fun and super interesting, and I loved being able to get hands-on with everything and see science in a totally different way. The other excursion was to Mount Stromlo Observatory. This was honestly one of the most unforgettable experiences. Through a giant telescope, I saw the Moon and Saturn up close. Seeing Saturn’s rings in real life was incredible, and it made me feel so inspired about space and science.

Another exciting part of the program is that I’ll have a STEM coach for the next six months. My coach will guide me through new projects, help me explore STEM topics in more depth, and support me as I continue to learn and grow in areas I'm passionate about. I’m really looking forward to working with my coach and seeing what I can achieve.

Overall, the camp was such an amazing experience. I feel so lucky to have been part of such an encouraging and exciting program. Over the next eight months, I’ll continue with Curious Minds, taking part in more STEM activities with my mentor. I can’t wait to see where it takes me!

-Tess Wheeler, Year 9