Tournament of Minds

End of an era: TOM students pay tribute to Mrs Viv Bathas they prepare for International Finals

Girton’s Senior STEM team is in their element preparing for the International Tournament of Minds (TOM) Final, which will be held in Sydney on 1 and 2 November.

After advancing through the regional and state competitions, the team meets weekly to tackle spontaneous challenges that mirror the high-pressure format they will face at the finals. With just four minutes to solve an unfamiliar problem and one minute to present their solution, every practice session is critical in sharpening their collaboration, creativity and critical thinking skills.

STEM challenges require more than clever presentation skills. As competitors are tasked with building functional machines and supporting them with diagrams, mathematical justifications and scientific explanations, the team is focusing heavily on these technical aspects in their rehearsals. 

While excitement for the event is high, there is also a bittersweet feeling among the students, as this competition will mark the end of an era for their much-loved TOM coordinator, Mrs Viv Bath, who is preparing to hand over the reins after leading the co-curricular for more than 25 years. 

Having established the TOM program in the early years of Girton Grammar, Mrs Bath has nurtured generations of students with her passion, dedication and expertise, building a thriving co-curricular community over the decades. 

Reflecting on her time leading TOM, Mrs Bath shared her mixed emotions: “While I am a little sad to be stepping away, I feel positive about passing the reins to staff who share my love for the program, especially now that TOM is so deeply entrenched in the culture of Girton.”

When asked what she’ll miss most, her answer came easily: “I’ll miss the students. I am still in touch with many of them as adults. We have had entire families of students go through the program, with many parents getting heavily involved along the way.”

The impact of Mrs Bath’s leadership has been deeply felt by this year’s TOM Captain, Chelsea White, who has worked with her closely over the eight years she has been involved in the co-curricular.

“The emotions are bittersweet, especially for our Senior STEM students, many of whom have been involved since Year 4. While we’re sad to see her go, we recognise that Mrs Bath deserves all that her next chapter will bring after her impressive tenure,” Chelsea said.

According to Chelsea, Mrs Bath’s presence, passion and approachable nature are what the students will miss most – and her famous acronym KISS (‘Keep It Simple, Stupid’) will undoubtedly continue to shape the way students approach challenges in the future.

“She has instilled a growth mindset in all of us, encouraging us to become true ambassadors of the walking, talking Girtonian,” Chelsea shared.

The most cherished aspects of the program for students are the friendships that form across year levels and campuses, along with the infectious ‘TOM spirit’ that has been kept alive through long-standing traditions such as the whipped cream challenge and impromptu parkour sessions. 

“I love how TOM brings together like-minded, lateral thinkers across a wide range of year levels, providing an opportunity to challenge each other beyond the classroom while developing teamwork and improvisation skills that are valuable for future situations, such as job interviews,” Chelsea explained.

“As Captain, I have the privilege of witnessing everyone's growth, determination and confidence flourish throughout the year. The camaraderie is especially evident during awards ceremonies, where we all squeeze hands and cross our toes in anticipation of the results.”

Likewise, Mrs Bath’s fondest memories also come from witnessing the older students mentor younger participants, with TOM being one of only a handful of co-curriculars that span Girton’s Junior and Senior Schools.

“It fills me with pride to see this cross-age support,” she said. “I’m also always proud to hear compliments from members of the community about how well our students represent Girton at tournaments. We have built an excellent reputation within the TOM community.”

As Mrs Bath prepares to hand over the leadership of TOM to fellow Junior School teachers Mrs Prue Milner and Mr Justin Leske, she hopes to remain involved with the program in some capacity, continuing to support the co-curricular she has nurtured over more than two decades.

Meanwhile, the Senior STEM team readies itself to represent Girton on the international stage, carrying with them both gratitude for Mrs Bath's legacy and excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead.

Girton Grammar School congratulates this year's TOM students for their outstanding achievements, and extends heartfelt gratitude to Mrs Viv Bath for over 25 years of dedicated service to TOM and building the thriving co-curricular we celebrate today.