Magis Report 

We are entering a very busy period for the Magis program, with several competitions and events scheduled for May. We have four student delegates representing our College at the UN Youth State Conference over the weekend, and we look forward to reading about their experience in next week’s College newsletter. On Monday, our Senior Ethics Teams will be competing in the Australasian division of Ethics Olympiad and we wish them the best of luck.

WA Debating League Update

Round 3 of the WA Debating League (WADL) Schools Debating Competition (SDC) will be held on Tuesday, 5 May (Week 12) at Shenton College. Students decided on their speaker order at their debating meeting earlier in the week. A copy of our Round 3 fixtures can be found below, along with a map of the debate venue. A reminder that Round 3 marks the start of our impromptu debates. Going forward, teams will be required to arrive 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to the start of their debate. The topic is released on the night, and teams will have 1 hour to prepare without assistance, including the use of devices. This is a closed session, so any parents who want to watch the debates will be asked to wait in the main foyer or return to the venue at the start of the debate. We wish all our debating teams the best of luck with Round 3.

An additional update

WADL has confirmed the details of Make-Up Round 1 (MUR). This round concerns Novice JTC2 only. Team members have been informed that their postponed Round 1 debate against Shenton 4, will be held on Tuesday, 12 May (Week 13) at 5pm at Shenton College. Communication has been sent to the respective families.

You can keep up to date with our schedule of competitions and events by viewing the Magis calendar – which can be accessed by clicking on the link below.  

Daisy Farley

Head of Magis – Gifted and Talented

Magis: Opportunities to do more!

College Chess Tournament

Entries are now open for our annual College Chess Tournament. If you think you have what it takes to be our next College ‘Grandmaster’, or you simply want to have fun, then email your name, Year and House to magis@johnxxiii.edu.au. All participants will earn valuable points for their House, with trophies awarded to our finalists. Entries close Monday, 11 May (Term 2, Week 13).

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 visit the website Whitlam Institute What Matters for more information, including samples of past winners. Major cash prizes to be won! Submission deadline is Friday, 15 May (Term 2, Week 13).

College Public Speaking Competition 

Entries are now open for our annual College Public Speaking Competition. This is a prestigious event on our College Calendar, with the grand final attended by students, parents, staff, and alumni. Students can speak up to 3 minutes on a topic of their choice. Heats will be held in Weeks 16-18, with the top 3 students from each year group progressing to the Grand Final, which will be held on Wednesday, 29 July (Term 3, Week 2). Trophies and medals will be awarded to the top and runner-up public speakers in each year group. These prizes will be awarded at our Magis Awards Breakfast in Term 4. Entries are due Friday, 22 May (Week 14). 

Political Perspectives Competition

Attention, budding artists, cartoonists, and political satirists. The Political & Legal Educators Association of Western Australia (PLEAWA) invites students in Years 7 to 10 to participate in the Political Perspectives Competition. Students are tasked with producing a creative piece that sheds light on a current issue relating to topics covered in Years 7 to 10 Civics & Citizenship. This creative piece can take the form of a poster, political cartoon, video, or other creative medium. Please visit the PLEAWA website for more information. Cash prizes to be won! Submission deadline Monday 1 June (Term 2, Week 16). 

Tournament of Minds 

Tournament of Minds (TOM) is an international problem-solving program for teams of students. TOM’s aim is to enhance the potential of our youth by developing diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment. Teams will be required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Languages & Literature, or Society & Environment (HASS) disciplines. Regional and State Finals to be held at Edith Cowan University in September, with the International Final to be held in Darwin in November. For more information, please visit the competition website or speak with the Head of Magis. Expressions of interest are due Monday, 1 June (Term 2, Week 16).