Magis report 

Term 2 is set to be another exciting and busy time for Magis! Competitions and events galore: Mock Trials, WA Debating League, Senior Ethics Olympiad, da Vinci Decathlon, World Scholars, the Plain English-Speaking Awards, Magis Personal Project Exhibition… to name but a few. With so much happening it is important that students read Teams notices carefully and attend all practice sessions, development seminars and team meetings. Most current competitions are team events, and so individual commitment to a group effort is vitally important. 

We are excited to announce that Round 1 of our College Chess Tournament will begin next week in the Ignatian Centre (Library). Students who have entered have received their fixtures and we wish all competitors best of luck. We look forward to announcing our 2023 College Grandmaster at the end of the tournament.

The Magis Program continues to offer students the chance to compete in the top state gifted student competitions as well as national and global events. Expressions of Interest are now open for a number of competitions – so don’t miss out!

MAGIS: OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE!

College Public Speaking Competition

Entries are now open for our annual College Public Speaking Competition. Students are asked to prepare a three-minute speech on a topic of their choice. At last year’s grand final, students spoke on a diverse range of topics from the Kennedy curse; dreams; juvenile detention; the immune system; to providing compelling reasons for why pineapple should be placed on pizzas! All participants will win their House valuable points – with trophies to be awarded to our year level finalists. Heats will take place in Week 14 with the grand final to be held in the Gonzaga Barry Lecture Theatre (GBLT) on Thursday 8 June (Week 17). This competition will be judged by a panel of Magis Alumni who have all previously taken part in this event. It is sure to be a wonderful evening and we will be extending an invitation to the College community to come in support. Expressions of interest are due Monday 8 May (Week 13).

Creative Edge Thinking 

The Creative Edge Problem Solving Challenge is an innovative educational competition providing students with motivating challenges that will develop both critical and creative thinking skills. Students compete in teams to solve an open-ended challenge in one of the following disciplines: Literature and Communication or Society and Environment (HASS). Pictured below are our Creative Edge teams from last year who won the state final in both of these categories. This year’s teams will be formed in Term 2 with the regional final to take place at Curtin University on 26 August (Term 3). For more information, please see the Magis Coordinator. Expressions of interest are due by Monday 5 June.

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) discipline. Regional and state finals will be held at Edith Cowan University in September (Term 3) with the international final to be held in Melbourne in October. For more information, please see the Magis Coordinator. Expressions of interest are due by Monday 5 June.

Middle School Ethics Olympiad

An Ethics Olympiad is a competitive yet collaborative event in which students, in teams, analyse and discuss real-life, and timely, ethical issues. It differs from a debate in that students are not assigned opposing views; rather, they defend whatever position they believe is right and win by showing that they have thought more carefully, deeply, and perceptively about the cases in questions. The event encourages and promotes ethical awareness, critical thinking skills, civil discourse, international engagement (with schools competing from around the world) and an appreciation for diverse points of view. Our hugely successful College Senior Ethics Team came second in the Australasian final and third in the International final last year and are currently preparing for this year’s regional final. Middle School Ethics Olympiad is open to students in Years 7 to 9. For more information, please see the Magis Coordinator. Expressions of interest are due by Friday 9 June.

Term 2 calendar

You can keep up to date with Magis and Altiora events by following the Term 2 calendar which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

Daisy Farley

Magis Coordinator – Gifted and Talented