Young minds sharp as tacks for Opti-Minds
YOUR STORY: Three teams consisting of Years 5 and 6 Glennie girls turned their passion for learning into an opportunity to showcase their problem solving skills and talents at the Regional Opti-Minds event held at UQ Gatton.
Nearly 80 teams competed in total with participants ranging from preschool age to adults.
Each team was required to complete a long term challenge over a six week period, in either the language literature, science engineering or social sciences categories.
A spontaneous challenge was also completed by the teams on the day.
The language literature long term challenge had a six week preparation time and girls were introduced to the Topi-Topi tribe who had received a message that sent them into a frenzy.
Each team had to look at what the message actually meant.
Girls had to create three possible interpretations of the message.
Each interpretation had to be delivered by a different, famous Top-Topian and be supported by additional literary material justifying the interpretation.
The spontaneous challenge required rapid exchange of ideas, the ability to think effectively, creatively and well-developed group cooperation skills.
Girls had ten minutes to decipher, The twinkle in someone's eye, what is that?
First time Year 5 entrants, Emma Anderson, Ebony Baillee-Pignat, Prisha Gupte, Kate Healy and Ruby Heffernan impressed the judges with their performance in both challenges and were announced the overall winners of the Language Literature Category for Division I.
Hot on their heels in the same category were Year 6 Glennie girls Isabella Apalais, Miranda Broadfoot, Aimee Freund, Charlotte Gotze, Ella Harvey and Isabelle Reed securing an honours award.
"Each year it is terrific to see the girls grow as a team, learning to work together and share their ideas. The confidence that they develop through their presentation of the challenges is so beneficial to them in all areas of their school life and beyond," Head of Glennie Junior Years Steve Warren said.
The Middle Years from Glennie also had a successful weekend with two teams securing honours.
Skye Dawson, Emily Byrne, Aimee Keighran and Georgia Meise impressed the judges with their science and engineering division II presentation.
Alyssa Baker, Veronica Fischer, Alice Dent and Chloe Heidrich delivered confidently, earning them honours in the social science division II.
Junior Years girls Emma, Ebony, Prisha, Kate and Ruby will now progress to the state titles to be held in October at the University of Queensland, St Lucia campus.
