John XXIII College Newsletter

Magis report 

Magis Personal Projects Exhibition

 

Yesterday, our Year 7 and 8 Magis Elective students displayed their Personal Projects in an exhibition held at the Thomas More Exhibition Centre. This is a very special event on the Magis calendar for it allows us to come together to celebrate the talents of our students. This exhibition not only marks the culmination of many months of hard work and planning, but also the completion of the Semester 2 Elective Course. The Personal Project Assessment, forms a major component of the course, and is based on the International Baccalaureate program but modified to suit younger students and the timeframe within which the course is run. Students were challenged to choose a project related to a major interest or passion of theirs, and the results were simply outstanding! We commend the students on the enthusiasm in which they discussed their projects and the professional way they were executed. Projects ranged from cheese to the stock market, and everything in between. A full list of Personal Projects can be found below. 

 

2023 Sem 2 Personal Projects Exhibition Program

Luke Nicol (Year 7 Magis) said: 

The Magis Personal Project was one of the highlights of the school year for me. I loved learning so many new things, and it certainly helped me to develop a better work ethic both at home and across all my classes. I also enjoyed sharing this wonderful experience with my peers, family, and the wider College community. The exhibition allowed me to showcase my deep passion for history. I choose to present on The White Rose – a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany. This has been such a great experience, working alongside like-minded students, with a passion for learning and extending ourselves further. I look forward to continuing with Magis next year.

 

Salome Rivera Diaz (Year 7 Magis) said: 

Immersing myself in my Personal Project this Semester proved undeniably rewarding. Among its aspects, designing the presentation stood out as particularly captivating. Upon learning about the Personal Project, my initial inclination toward a beach-related theme led me to choose coral as my focus. Intrigued by coral reefs, I embarked on the project with the aim of learning more about them. As I delved deeper, I discovered the often-overlooked issue of coral bleaching and its real threat to diverse marine life. Presenting my work and answering inquiries about my project was a great experience, allowing me to share the efforts put into my project throughout the Semester. One takeaway from this experience was mastering efficient time management through goal setting and scheduling, and of course, translating ideas into action through the employment of initiative emerged as a vital skill gained from this endeavour. I hope to apply the insights acquired as a Magis student to my future endeavours.

Many thanks to the staff, family and friends who came to the exhibition. It was also wonderful to see so many students come in support of their peers - honouring our Ignatian values of being ‘people for others’ (homines pro aliis). Congratulations to our Years 7 and 8 Magis students on a memorable exhibition! 

Tournament of Champions 

We would also like to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our World Scholars, who journeyed to the United States to compete in the Tournament of Champions at Yale University. It has been quite a journey for these students. Firstly, they had to qualify in the top percentile at the Perth Regional Round last year. They then travelled to the Gold Coast in the last school holidays to compete in the Global Round – with teams ranking in the top 15 to qualify for Yale.

 

Over 50 countries took part in the US competition, which tested student aptitude across a number of academic disciplines. It is with great joy that we announce that all our students won gold and silver medals in all categories, which is a phenomenal achievement.

 

Our World Scholars are:

  • Catherine Gazia
  • Charlie Pronk
  • Jennifer Ong
  • Amelia Watts
  • Hunter Giles-Shanley
  • Sarah Macfarlane; and
  • Asha Paton

Tours cannot be possible without the extraordinary commitment of our staff, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague Ms Roberts (Loyola House Coordinator) for her assistance and unwavering support on tour.

 

Some highlights of the US Tour included attending the United Nations whilst the Security Council voted on Ukraine and being in the General Assembly whilst they discussed the Israel and Palestine conflict; seeing the Harvard dormitories of JFK, John Adams, and Mark Zuckerberg; observing famous works of art in person; Halloween in Manhattan; a lecture from a notable New York historian; the list goes on. But perhaps the most special experience was forming lifelong friendships with students from around the globe.

 

Our World Scholars would like to share with you, our College community, a video showcasing the US Magis Tour.

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

New Extension Initiative in 2024

We are excited to be offering a new extension program in 2024, in collaboration with Scotch College, Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Sacred Heart College and other schools. This programme will offer many extension opportunities to support capable students including after-school online courses that take deep dives into subjects beyond the curriculum and are led by passionate experts and partners in industry and academia. The courses are all written with high school student engagement in mind and explicitly teaching both content and skills. A sample of the courses available include Human Rights law, health and medical science, mechatronics, rhetoric and speechmaking, youth investors, leadership, and creative writing. An information evening will be held on Tuesday 5 December. To find out more information, please contact the Magis Coordinator.

Eye to Eye Photographic Competition

As part of its 40th year celebrations, the Lions Eye Institute is running the Eye to Eye Photographic Competition in Western Australia. Entries are open 6 December 2023 to 16 January 2024. There are four categories focused on eyes and eye health. Entries are open to Western Australian residents and there is an Under 18 category called Seeing Through a Child’s Eye, with a $500 cash prize to be won.

 

If you are looking for a creative opportunity over the school holidays - take your best Western Australian photo of human eyes, and animal eyes or show us the world through your eyes. Competition details and entry information can be found at https://eyetoeye.lei.org.au

Stargirls STEM Camp

Are you interested in pursuing astronomy, engineering, or data science as a career path? Join high school girls and other underrepresented genders for a free Astronomy Day Camp from 23 to 25 January 2024, hosted by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). This camp is open to all high school students in Years 9 to 12 whose gender identities are underrepresented in astronomy, engineering, or data science.

Highlights include:

  • Meet and talk with women who have made their careers in astrophysics, engineering and data science;
  • Use research-grade telescopes to take and process your own deep space images and take part in a night-time stargazing event; and
  • Visit leading space research centres, including Curtin and UWA ICRAR campuses, along with a visit to the Pawsey Supercomputer Research Centre.

Positions are limited, so early applications are essential. See the flyer below for further details. Please notify the Magis Coordinator (Ms Farley) and Head of Science (Mr Carrello) if you choose to apply.

 

Daisy Farley

Magis Coordinator – Gifted and Talented