Co-Curricular Corner

QDU Debating Grand Finals

Mount Alvernia College celebrated a historic achievement this week, with our first ever team progressing to the Queensland Debating Union (QDU) Grand Final. Ava, Claudia, Maeve and Meredith from 8.1 represented the College on Wednesday night after an outstanding season of debating. Their success reflects countless hours of preparation, teamwork and determination. We also extend our thanks to Amaeh, 2025 College Captain, and Emma, 2026 Debating Captain, whose dedication in coaching and mentoring the team has been instrumental. This milestone is a wonderful example of the talent, commitment and support that are making Mount Alvernia a debating powerhouse!

Our team debated with a mix of nervous energy, lighthearted humour and some serious rebuttal. To watch these students in their element was a source of joy for all who attended. Thank you to the parents of our students for the long nights at debates, thank you for recognising the benefit of this learning for your children. Thank you to the staff who also attended to support: Ms Jensen, Ms Licina, Ms Barlow, Ms Daniec and Mr Welch. Our students were so excited to have such a supportive and important audience to speak to. While they didn’t come away with the win this year, they were still in the top 2 teams of 187 across Brisbane – a very impressive feat!

Staff vs Student Showdowns

The spirit of friendly competition was on full display at our recent Staff vs Student Showdowns, featuring both a debate and a Model United Nations (MUN) simulation. In debating, staff and students tackled the thought-provoking topic, that we regret the glorification of grades over improvement, presenting passionate arguments and challenging perspectives. Thank you to our staff debaters: Ms Bopf, Mr Welch and Mr Waldron.

The MUN showdown saw participants engage with the complex global issue of illegal trafficking, demonstrating impressive research, diplomacy and public speaking skills. These events were a fantastic opportunity for students and staff to engage in meaningful discussion, showcase their talents and enjoy some light-hearted rivalry. Thank you to our MUN participants: Ms Sims, Ms Arenas, Ms Walker, Mr Welch, Mr Waldron, Ms Stower, Ms Harrison as well as some of our visiting teacher students.

Tournament of Minds

Congratulations to our Tournament of Minds teams, who competed in the Regional Finals at Lourdes Hill College over the weekend. After six weeks of dedication, creativity and teamwork, our students confidently presented their Long-Term Challenges and tackled the Spontaneous Challenge on the day with enthusiasm and skill. Their hard work was reflected in outstanding results, with Language Literature placing 1st, Social Sciences 2nd, STEM 2nd and The Arts 3rd. Beyond the placings, it was wonderful to see students embracing curiosity, critical thinking and collaboration throughout the competition. Thank you to our families for their support and to our students for representing Mount Alvernia so proudly. 

Thank you to Ms Bopf, Ms Campbell and Ms Walker for their facilitation of their teams over the past 6 weeks, as well as their supervision throughout the day. We now eagerly await news regarding the State Finals for our Language Literature team.