Six Gippsland Grammar Bairnsdale Campus students are preparing to take their problem-solving skills to the international stage after earning a place at the Tournament of Minds International Final in Darwin.
The school’s Social Sciences team will compete on Saturday, October 31, against teams from across Australia and overseas, including Dubai, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Indonesia.
The achievement follows an outstanding Tournament of Minds campaign for Gippsland Grammar’s Bairnsdale Campus, with students preparing since term two during recesses and after school.
Three Bairnsdale teams won their respective divisions at the Gippsland Regional Final at Federation University in August, qualifying for the State Final at Deakin University in Melbourne.
At the State Final, students faced a demanding day beginning at 8.15am, including a three-hour lockdown challenge before presenting their solution in a theatre that afternoon. They also completed a spontaneous challenge designed to test their ability to think creatively and work collaboratively under pressure.
The Social Sciences team won its division to qualify for the International Final, while the school’s Arts team received Honours and the Language Literature team also represented the school at State level.
Gippsland Grammar Bairnsdale Campus teacher Penny Rankin said the Social Sciences team had impressed throughout every stage of the competition.
“On Sunday, our Tournament of Minds Social Sciences Team achieved the outstanding honour of qualifying for the International Finals,” Mrs Rankin said.
“This team, throughout the challenges and tournaments to date, has showcased exceptional creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. I am incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to supporting them as they represent our school on the international stage.”
Year six student Hayley Maxwell said the students were thrilled when the result was announced.
“We were ecstatic when our names were called out as the winners of the social science challenge at the state final,” she said.
The International Final will bring together Tournament of Minds teams from Australian states and territories as well as international competitors, giving the Gippsland Grammar students the opportunity to test their skills against students from around the world.
Tournament of Minds challenges students to work collaboratively on complex problems across disciplines including Social Sciences, The Arts, Language Literature and STEM, developing skills in creative thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork.
The Darwin qualification caps Gippsland Grammar Bairnsdale Campus’s best Tournament of Minds campaign to date, following three regional division wins and two major results at the State Final.
