Magis report 

Last Monday, a select group of Magis students attended a very special presentation with Mr Evan Laske, a NASA Robotics Engineer. Mr Laske is in Perth to work on NASA’s Valkyrie Robot in collaboration with Woodside Energy. Mr Laske spoke with our students about the Valkyrie humanoid robot, the Artemis (Moon exploration) program, plans for Mars exploration, as well as what life is like working as a Robotics Engineer at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Following the presentation, our students engaged in a Q&A session, before leaving with some official NASA stickers and pens! Also in attendance was the US Consul-General, Ms Siriana Nair. A big thank you to the Fogarty Foundation who sponsored the event. For those interested in the field of Space exploration, there will be a special screening of The Space Race next week at The University Club. Please see below for further details.

We are pleased to announce that we have nine debating teams who will be competing in the WA Debating League Schools Debating Competition this year. Those teams were formed earlier this week. Please note: A development seminar will be held in the Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre (GBLT) after school on 5th March, and details have been sent to families.

We congratulate those students who have been selected for the 2024 da Vinci Decathlon. We received a significant number of applications this year, and students were notified earlier in the week of the final teams list. The da Vinci Decathlon will be held at UWA on Wednesday 6th March (for Year 9 & 10 students) and Thursday 7th March (for Year 7 & 8 students). Communication has been sent to families.

We wish all our debating and da Vinci students the best of luck with their respective competitions.

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

Magis Student Committee

Nominations for the Magis Student Committee are now open. The Committee, which consists of 18 to 20 students from Years 8 to 12, will be led by our 2024 Magis Captain. Committee members will provide leadership and support to our Magis students, as well as assistance with the overall development of the program. This is a great opportunity to provide a student voice to our GATE program and learn valuable leadership skills. Expressions of Interest must be made in writing (email) and are due by Monday 26 February (Week 5).

The Space Race

For those interested in the area of space exploration, there will be a special film screening of The Space Race on Thursday 29 February, 6:30pm at the University Club of Western Australia. This is a free event, though registration is required. An expert panel will be held at 6:30pm, followed by the films screening at 7:30pm. In The Space Race, directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés profile the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. 

Click the link here (The Space Race | Humanitix) to register.

Senior Ethics Olympiad

The Ethics Olympiad provides students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. It is designed to get students thinking, talking, and ultimately working together on some of the tough moral issues of our time. Its objective is to do more than just help students think through ethical issues: It is to teach students how to think through ethical issues together, as fellow citizens in a complex moral and political community. The Senior Ethics Olympiad is open to students in Years 10-12 – with nominations closing Friday 1 March. Please note: There will be a Middle School Ethics Olympiad held later in the year – which is open for students in Years 7-9.

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). 

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