Magis report
Our da Vinci Decathlon students have been busy training this week, for the upcoming competition at UWA. On Monday, Mr Christopher Morris, Head of Humanities and Social Sciences, led a cartography training session. Students explored technological advancements in the field of cartography, which will be useful as this year’s theme is ‘Technology and Innovation’. On Wednesday, Year 11 student, Poppy Hartfield shared her tips for completing da Vinci challenges. Poppy is our STEM superstar, who represented the State in FameLab Academy and her team came first in the Engineering discipline of da Vinci Decathlon last year.
The da Vinci Decathlon will be held at UWA on Wednesday, 6 March (for Years 9 & 10 students) and Thursday, 7 March (for Years 7 & 8 students). A reminder to parents to inform the Head of Magis, as to their child’s method of transport to and from the competition. An electronic copy of the competition information pack can be found below. We wish all our students the best of luck at the competition.
The WA Debating League Schools Debating Competition draw will be released to students and parents next week. Please be advised that the location for our debates has moved to Christ Church Grammar School. Whilst Round 1 will officially begin on 12 March, our first debate is scheduled for Tuesday, 19 March. Each round will be held over a two-week period. WADL will be holding a Debating Development Day at Shenton College this weekend. Students have access to the registration link in Teams, and we are delighted that a number of new debating students will be in attendance. We will be holding our own debating development seminar on Tuesday, 5 March in the Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre (GBLT), and all debating students are expected to attend. With Round 1 fast approaching, it is important that students are familiarising themselves with the competition rules and tips for engaging in persuasive speaking. Here’s to another exciting year of WADL debating!
MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!
Girls Day Out in STEM!
Girls Day Out in STEM is a unique online event for girls aged 10 to 14 years old, to help them discover their potential through opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The event will be held from Sunday, 3 March to Sunday, 10 March. Registration is required. For further information please click on the link here.
UN Youth – WA Young Leaders Summit
UN Youth Australia aims to allow young people to explore and engage with the most important issues facing our world. Their Young Leaders Summits are designed to educate and empower young people to explore and engage with prevalent political and social justice issues. This year’s summit will be held on Sunday, 10 March and will focus on space law, governance, and the future uses of space. Summits equip participants with the knowledge and skills to become change-makers in their communities and to be able to contribute meaningfully and insightfully to current political discourse. We would like to send a group of delegates to this year’s event. For more information, please click on the link: Our Place in Space | UN Youth Australia. Expressions of Interest are to be sent to the Head of Magis.
Young Women in Public Affairs Award
The Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) Award is an exciting opportunity for young woman who are aged 16 to 19 years on 1 April 2024, who demonstrate superior leadership skills and a commitment to public service and civic causes. It is designed to encourage applicants to continue their participation in public and political life. The Award initially attracts a grant of $500. As it is part of the Zonta International suite of awards, the successful recipient will subsequently have the opportunity to be considered, alongside other regional awardees, for an International Award (and grant of $5,000). For further information, including the application form, please see the Head of Magis. The deadline for receipt is 15 March.
Ethics Olympiad Case Writing Awards
Ethics Olympiad are holding a case writing competition with prize money to be won. Submissions should follow the general format for Ethics Olympiad cases: a scenario, between 400 and 800 words long, which highlights a clear moral issue and is appropriate for middle or high-school students and is written in a way that encourages civil discourse. The scenario should be framed so the central issue is clearly moral and not simply or primarily legal or professional. Knowledge of the structure of the Ethics Olympiad competition is important. If you haven’t taken part previously, I would encourage you to either speak to a student who has competed or contact the Head of Magis for more information (copies of past cases can be provided). Entries must be submitted by email to the Head of Magis by Friday, 19 April (Week 10).
UN Youth - WA State Conference
UN Youth WA State Conference is a three-day event for passionate young people to gather from across Western Australia. The theme for this year’s conference is ‘The Future of Your Democracy’. Students will discuss some of the most important issues facing our global community and develop a greater understanding of the role they can play in shaping our global future. Open to students in Years 9 to 12, the conference will be held at Seaside Camp on Friday 19 April to Sunday 21 April (Week 10). The cost of the conference is $260 per person (all-inclusive of food and accommodation). If a weekend of leadership, diplomacy, and advocacy sounds good to you, then join other like-minded youths at the 2024 State Conference. For further information please click on the link: WA State Conference | UN Youth Australia or speak with the Head of Magis.
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 click here for more information, or speak with the Head of Magis.
Entries close Friday 17 May (Week 14).
Term 1 Calendar
You can keep up to date with Magis events by following the Term 1 calendar, which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. Please note that some competition dates are still tentative, whilst registration is ongoing.
Daisy Farley
Head of Magis - Gifted & Talented Program