Gifted Education Program News

Ms Majella Stevens

Breaking News!

Year 6 Remembrance Day Writing Competition

1st Place: Hamish Ansell

2nd Place: Nicholas Prendergast

3rd Place: Elliott Broadfoot

Tournament of Minds 2021

Advice came through yesterday morning that our Primary Language and Literature Team, ably facilitated by Ms Robyn Brown, placed second in the State Final. Congratulations to the team: Connor Campbell, Sammy Plumb, Harry Cootes, JD Cootes, William Thomas, Billy Dunn and Matthew Alvarez. Outstanding effort gentlemen. 

2022 Programs

Academic Co-curricular Programs 2022

21st Century skills include Collaboration (teamwork), Communication (oral and written), Problem-Solving Skills, Critical-Thinking Skills, Creativity, ICT Skills, Leadership, Futuristic Thinking, Time Management and more. Many of the academic co-curricular programs offered at the College focus on developing students’ capacity in these areas. Following is a brief description of some of the programs available to students in Term 1, 2022. In addition to the inherent advantage of developing these skills, they are also highly valued by employers and scholarship assessors at tertiary institutions.  

 

Cyber Program

(ICT Skills)

This is a program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify vulnerabilities within computer systems so that those vulnerabilities can be fixed, making the system more secure. This program typically runs each term of the year and is complemented by the National CyberTAIPAN competition which is held in Terms 3 and 4. This program is available to students in Years 7-12. Sessions are generally held once a week before school. Dates will be confirmed at the beginning of Term 1 2022.

 

Brain Bee Challenge 2022

(Collaboration, Leadership, Communication skills) 

Students in Year 9 Science classes received information in Week 7 about the Australian Brain Bee Challenge. A program for students in Year 10, the boys were encouraged to consider taking on this challenge next year to not only increase their knowledge of the brain and the nervous system, but to also start to build their portfolio of academic co-curricular programs. Brain Bee is one of the few Year 10 programs acknowledged by tertiary institutions looking to award scholarships to school leavers. It is also a program that helps to develop some of the 21st Century skills highly regarded by employers and higher level educational facilities. 

 

Anyone current Year 9 student interested in participating in Brain Bee next year should contact Ms Stevens this year to register. Some pre-reading material is available for those wanting to get a head start on the course.

 

Model UN

(Communication, Critical-Thinking, Problem-Solving Skills)

Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations where students play the role of delegates from different countries and attempt to solve real world issues with the policies and perspectives of their assigned country. For example, a student may be assigned the United Kingdom and will have to solve global topics such as nuclear non-proliferation or climate change from the policies and perspectives of the United Kingdom or Argentina or Jordan. 

 

MUN is a great way to learn the art of diplomacy and the ways of the UN Security Council. It is about alliances with other countries and negotiation to further your country’s cause. Students in Years 7-12 are welcome to participate. No experience is necessary. 

 

Future Problem Solving 

(Problem-Solving, Critical-Thinking, Futuristic Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Teamwork Skills)

"Future Problem Solving teaches critical thinking skills, stimulates creativity, encourages development of a vision for the future, and prepares students for leadership roles."

 

FPS offers a number of programs for students and adults; we at Ashgrove have, thus far, taken on the challenge of The Global Issues Problem Solving program, or GIPS for short. 

 

An activity for both teams and individuals, the GIPS program addresses a different topic each term, each topic falling within an overarching theme. The 2022 theme is Environmental Sustainability and the topic for Term 1 is Water Supply. Students build their knowledge through research and then address a problem within a Future Scene – a scenario set in the future. Armed with a six-step creative problem-solving process, students will critically analyse the future scene to identify a major issue and then develop a creative solution to the problem. 

 

If this sounds like something you and some of your mates would like to do, and you’re in Years 10-12, then email Ms Stevens (stevensm@marash.qld.edu.au) to register your interest, and to receive material for the program. 

 

OzCLO

(Teamwork, Problem-Solving, Critical-Thinking Skills)

OzCLO is the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad that is held each year in Term 1. Students in Years 9-12 form teams of four and go about solving a range of language-analysis problems. Past problems are available for study, so teams should consider nominating early in Term 1 so that they can practise their problem-solving and teamwork skills. 

 

Registrations will open early in Term 1. Students should watch the Newsletter, Learning Portal, electronic noticeboards and morning notices for information about the competition. Round 1 is held at the College, early in March. Again, please contact Ms Stevens to register your interest.

 

Public Speaking Program 2022

(Communication, Time-Management Skills)

The 2022 program will commence in Term 1. Dates will be advised at the start of next year. Students will learn the finer points of public speaking and will have the opportunity to practise giving prepared and impromptu speeches in front of an audience.

 

Students from Years 5-10 are welcome to join. To register your interest, please email Ms Stevens (stevensm@marash.qld.edu.au) next year.