LEARNING MATTERS

YEAR 8 SURVIVOR CHALLENGE

This year’s Survivor Challenge has followed in the footsteps of 2013, and been an incredibly close contest.  Throughout the year, all Year 8s have battled hard in an attempt to win points for their form.  They have been tested in areas of teamwork, communication, problem solving, initiative, navigation, design and creativity, with the overall aim being to hold up the winner’s shield, and receive the celebratory pizza lunch.

The competition commenced back in Term 1, when each island group of students was required to design and build a small shelter using cardboard and other limited resources.  The second challenge in Term 1 was the inaugural PE Aquathon, followed in Term 2 by the Art and Sport challenges, which I’m sure all Year 8s will agree, was a great way to end the semester.  The second half of the year saw students rogaining around Cardinia Reservoir, demonstrating their engineering and inquiry skills in the revamped Science Challenge, and testing their problem solving abilities in the Maths Challenge.

The final activity in the Survivor Challenge was the Amazing Race which took place on Year 8 Camp.  8H went into the final challenge with a slender lead over 8G, who had dominated in the Maths challenge, and 8I who were also coming home strongly having won the Science Challenge and Rogaining.  It was 8I who performed best in the Amazing Race, but even with the double points on offer they were not able to close the gap on the 2014 Survivor Winners 8H, who did just enough to hold on by a single point.  This year’s victory made it 3 years in a row that 8H have won Survivor.

8H will now enjoy the spoils of victory next week – a pizza lunch and being able to wear the comfortable and sleek-looking Survivor T-shirts to school.

Congratulations also to the overall winning island group for 2014 which was Jamaica from 8D - Lucy El-Osta, Ebony Lockton, Declan Skahill, Shion Toyama, Jonathan Vernik and Naomi Warren.

I hope all Year 8s have enjoyed themselves during the 2014 Survivor Challenge, and more importantly, have developed and refined some very valuable skills.

Thank you to all of the staff who have helped out throughout the year. Special mention to Mr Braniska, Ms Kuriata, Mr Blackwood, Mr Baker and Mr Buntman who ran each of the events.

Mr. Brendan Hislop - Survivor Coordinator

Mr. Richard Long - Curriculum Coordinator