Magis report 

Congratulations to Jasper Bailey (Year 8) for coming first in the 2022 Chevron Focus Environment Competition. Jasper’s photo, titled ‘The Thoughtful Owl’, won in the Years 7 to 10 ‘WA Native Species’ category. The Chevron Focus Environment Competition, supported by the Human Energy Company, the West Australian and 7News Media, tasks students to capture WA’s biodiversity through the lens of a camera. There were some outstanding entries this year. To view all the 2022 Chevron Focus Winners click on the 7News Media Education Video below.

Jasper has been awarded $250 in prize money along with $750 to be given to the College. We congratulate Jasper on this terrific achievement. We look forward to many more students taking up the challenge in next year’s competition. Please note: Information about 2023 entries will be listed in the ‘Magis Opportunities To Do More’ section of the Magis Report.

Our Year 7 Magis Option students displayed their Personal Projects in an exhibition held in the Village yesterday. This Project is based on the International Baccalaureate but modified to suit younger students and the timeframe within which the College Option program is run. Students were challenged to choose a project related to a major interest or passion of theirs, and the results were outstanding! Projects ranged from The Titanic; WWI; the uses of Seaweed as a biofuel; a handcrafted skate ramp; a Victorian dress; the History of Apple to a study on the Brazilian Capybara – to name but a few. The enthusiasm in which the students discussed their projects and the professional way they were executed, was evidence of many months of hard work and planning and I congratulate all the Year 7 Magis students on a memorable exhibition. I would also like to commend them on the wonderful Ignatian Spirit displayed at the exhibition. Without prompting, students helped each other out - setting up and packing away their displays – whilst other students from Year 7 came by in support of their friends. It was heart-warming to see. Great minds and good hearts, indeed! Many thanks to all the parents, staff and students who came in support and celebration of the Magis Program.

Yesterday, a select group of students from Years 7 to 9 participated in an Intergenerational Program, involving the College and Mercy Care Wembley. I commend the following students for taking part:

• Charlotte Foot (Year 7)
• Rosabelle Taylor (Year 7)
• Catherine Gazia (Year 8)
• Isabelle Greenwood Hayes (Year 8)
• Noa Mintz (Year 8)
• Grace Nicol (Year 8)
• Charlie Pronk (Year 8)
• Imogen Thompson (Year 8)
• Aditi Nguyen (Year 9)

Students interviewed residents from Mercy Care – sharing stories over afternoon tea. These stories will be collated into a Memories Book, which will be presented to the residents at a Christmas afternoon tea towards the end of term. This Program provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to give back to the wider community, whilst listening to memories from another time. I look forward to sharing excerpts in our final report for the year. Many thanks to Ms Gray for her assistance on the day.

Special thanks to Thomas Syminton (Year 10), who gave a terrific speech at the 2023 Year 7 Parent Information Evening. As our 2022 Jim Miller Magis Spirit Prize Winner, Thomas was able to provide a student perspective of the Magis Program – the competitions that he’s taken part in, the skills he’s learnt and the friendships that he’s made along the way. Tom is a wonderful ambassador for the Program and we look forward to welcoming many more students into Magis next year.

You can keep up to date with Magis and Altiora events by following the Term 4 calendar – which can be accessed by clicking on the link below. 

Daisy Farley

Magis Coordinator – Gifted and Talented