Two Blue Mountains schools received top results at the recent Tournament of the Mind regional competition, with one going on to be a runner-up at the state finals.
Blackheath Public School swept the pools at the Sydney West Regional Final, getting a result in every section they entered – winning the language and literature section, as well as the social sciences and the runner-up in the arts. The school took home three out of the eight awards on the day.
And Blue Mountains Grammar Junior School won the arts section and was runner-up in the language and literature section in the regional finals and went on to get honours at the state event in the arts, behind Camden South and Sturt Public schools.
The event is a university-run problem solving program. The regional event was held at Western Sydney University and the state event at the University of New South Wales. Some 20 primary and secondary schools participated regionally.
The aim is to enhance students’ potential by developing diverse skills, enterprise, time management, and the discipline to work collaboratively within a challenging and competitive environment. Students work in teams of seven to prepare and present a solution to a problem in a creative way – two of the challenges involved writing a script and a musical. But there was also an unseen spontaneous challenge on the day.
Blackheath’s tournament coordinators, assistant principal Sheryl Cootes and teacher Stephen Morris, praised all team members on their ingenuity, creativity and cooperation in coming together to resolve the problems and perform admirably on the day of competition.
Ms Cootes said the school had been participating in the program for four years. Students make their own costumes and props.
“We have been to state finals three times - a result of which we are very proud,” she added.
Team members included: Katya Zheluk, Sierra Corkins, Olivia Andersen, Angus Donovan, Annabella Kankindji, Giorgia Macleod-Laschke, Majenta Mehmet, Max Campbell, Sidney Edwards, Justine Pollard, Alana Murray, Seamus Reece, Sienna Macleod-Laschke, Rachel Bishop-Jones, Coco Marques, Tessa Craig, Georgie Mah, Imogen Evans, Miette Hoekstra, Emily Weber and Matilda Berryman.
Blue Mountains Grammar School junior school had their “best performance ever” according to a school spokeswoman.
The team received tournament honours and consisted of Charles Taubman, Meri Tinkler-Smith, Jack Laurie, Charlie Mannes, Tom Archer, Maggie Vivian and Monty Darwin. The school have a “special thank you to Dr Elissa Drew, who has spent many weeks assisting our students to prepare for this prestigious competition”.
