EXCEL News. EXCEL Success - in a Nutshell. Extra-curricular Extension Learning. Success For All! Identifying and Catering for our Gifted Students

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1 EXCEL News I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : World Scholar s Cup 2 Extra-curricular Extension Learning Identifying and Catering for our Gifted Students S e m e s t e r 1, E d i t o r : S u e L y o n s EXCEL Success - in a Nutshell WSC Results 3 SADA Interschool Da Vinci Decathlon Legacy Public Speaking Competition UN Youth VOICE Premier s ANZAC Spirit School Prize Channel 9 Young Achiever: Innovation Over 20% of all GGHS Students have attended EXCEL s 16 Clubs and 35 Activities this Semester: 271 of our 1345 students. World Scholar s Cup 30 Year 8-12 students won: 9 trophies 36 Gold Medals 59 Silver Medals for Debating, Persuasive Writing, the Arts, History, Human Relationships, Literature, Social Studies and Science. All were invited to a in UN Youth VOICE Public Speaking Competition Ebanee (Y9) was selected as a National Finalist and flew to Brisbane for a week to represent SA. Legacy Public Speaking Competition Olivia (Y9) presented a speech on Social Justice: Education for Girls and was selected as a State Finalist. Brain Bee (Neuroscience) Gabby, Jarvis and Juliette (Y10) were State Finalists. SA Channel 9 Young Achiever s Award Lachlan (Y11) won for Innovation. SADA Debating Coached by Cooper (Year 10), Year 8/9 Team (Adam, Annika, Ebanee, Emma, Sam) is undefeated. Da Vinci Decathlon Eight Y9 students took part in 10 challenges: our engineers, Sam and Jordan, were our top performers. EXCEL Delegates: UN Youth State Conference Intro to Tournament of Minds Forthcoming Events Success For All! Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. One Junior Team and one Senior Team will attend the WSC Global Round in Melbourne in August with WSC Coordinator, Mrs Lyons, and Senior Debating Coach, Mrs Slater. ANZAC Spirit Prize Kelly (Y10) wrote a History essay to win a 2-week tour Computational and Algorithmic Thinking (CAT) Competition Matthew (Y8), Calvin (Y9), Curtis and Lachlan (Y11) won Credit Awards. ICAS Digital Technologies Competition Calvin (Y9), Jordan, Ethan and William (Y10) won Credit Awards. Big Science Competition Australian Refugees Association (ARA): William (Y10) Music SA s Autumn Jams: Renee (Y11) TTG Council Leadership Course: Enya and Taylor (Y9) UN Youth State Conference Power, Diplomacy & Influence: Lucca & Renee (Y11) to Vietnam with her teacher, Laura (Y8) and Ethan (Y10) Youth Environment Mrs Grant. won Credit Awards. Council: Jayden (Y9)

2 Page 2 World Scholar s Cup This semester thirty Year 8-12 GGHS EXCEL students competed alongside 120 students from seven public and private schools in the two -day World Scholar s Cup at Scotch College. In order to prepare for this competition students attended an intensive five -week Training Program of lunchtime and afterschool workshops. Our students wish to thank their tutors on: History of Diplomacy: Ms Possingham Human Relationships: Mrs McLaren Science of Memory: Mrs McLaren Social Studies: Mr Dawson The Arts: Ms Farrier Literature: Mrs Lyons Persuasive Writing and Debating: Mrs Lyons. Then, in teams of three, students competed in four events: a Team Quiz an Individual Quiz a Collaborative Persuasive Writing Competition and a Secret Topic Debating Competition, in which each team had to debate three times with only 15 minutes preparation time for each debate. Our ten teams won a total of 104 awards: 9 trophies 36 Gold Medals 59 Silver Medals! WORLD SCHOLAR S CUP GLOBAL ROUND As a result, all ten teams were invited to participate in a of the World Scholar s Cup in either Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. Our school decided to attend the in Melbourne. Congratulations to the following students, who have been selected to represent GGHS: Junior GLOBAL Team: Adam (Year 9) Sam (Year 9) Sophie (Year 8) Senior GLOBAL Team: Eric (Year 10) Jordan (Year 9) Renee (Year 10) We wish them all luck as they compete against WSC Top Scholars from all over the world in Melbourne from August They will be accompanied by our EXCEL Leader, Mrs Lyons, and Senior Debating Coach, Mrs Slater. Sue Lyons EXCEL News

3 2018 World Scholars Cup Awards Won by our Junior Teams All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. JUNIOR Team 1 Year Junior Team Awards Individual Medals s Gold Medal Champion Scholar (11th) Olivia 9 Gold Medal Debating Champion (8th) Silver Medal Arts Challenge Jordan 9 Enya 9 JUNIOR Team 2 Sam 9 Adam 9 Abi 9 JUNIOR Team 3 Mary 8 Annika 8 Maddy 8 JUNIOR Team 4 Scholars Team (2nd overall) (2nd) Gold Medal Champion Debating Team (4th) Scholars Team (4th overall) (1st) Gold Medal Champion Scholars Team (9th overall) Gold Medal Champion (4th) Persuasive Writing Team Scholar Silver Medal Social Studies Challenge Silver Medal Science Challenge Silver Medal Human Relationships Silver Medal Challenge Champion Gold Medal Science Challenge (5th) Scholar Gold Medal School s Top Scholar (Jr) Gold Medal Champion Scholar (10th) Gold Medal Debating Champion (9th) Gold Medal Persuasive Writing (12th) Silver Medal Science Challenge Gold Medal History Challenge (3rd) Silver Medal Literature Challenge Gold Medal Arts Challenge (5th) Scholar Silver Medal History Challenge Gold Human Relationships (2nd) Scholar Silver Medal History Challenge Silver Medal Arts Challenge Silver Medal Literature Challenge Silver Medal Arts Challenge Gold Medal - Literature Challenge (3rd) Matthew 8 Silver Medal Social Studies Challenge Gold Medal Arts Challenge (4th) (3rd) Gold Medal Challenge Champ. (5th) Angelina William 8 8 Scholars Team (overall) Gold Human Relationships (3rd) JUNIOR Team 5 Tia 8 Gold Medal Champion Scholar (20th) Gold Medal Debating Champ. (10th) Sophie 8 Gold Medal Da Vinci Scholar Korbin 8 Gold Medal Da Vinci Scholar All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. Jordan is attending the WSC Global Round in Melbourne Sam and Adam are attending the WSC Global Round in Melbourne (Abi attended the 2017 WSC in Hanoi.) All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. Sophie is attending WSC in Melbourne. Our JUNIOR TEAMS won 54 AWARDS (5 Trophies, 21 Gold Medals and 28 Silver Medals), as follows: 10 TEAM AWARDS (5 Trophies, 3 Gold and 2 Silver Medals) and 44 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS (18 Gold and 26 Silver Medals).

4 2018 World Scholars Cup Awards Won by our Senior Teams All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. SENIOR Team 1 Year Team Awards Individual Medals s Gold Medal-Human Relationships (4th) Renee 10 Scholar Scholars Team (3rd overall) Silver Medal Challenge Champion Cooper 10 Ebanee 9 SENIOR Team 2 Amber 12 Mitchell 12 Lucca SENIOR Team 3 11 Tahlia 10 (1st) Challenge Team (3rd) Scholars Team (6th overall) Debating Team Persuasive Writing Team Scholars Team (7th overall) Debating Team Gold Medal Social Studies (1st) Silver Medal Challenge Champion Gold Medal Literature (2nd) Gold Medal - Challenge Champion (4th) Silver Medal Arts Challenge Silver Medal Science Challenge Gold Medal School s Top Scholar (Sr) Gold Medal Champion Scholar (7th) Gold Medal Debating Champion (3rd) Silver Medal Human Relationships Gold Medal History Challenge (1st) Gold Medal Persuasive Writing (9th) Silver Medal Literature Challenge Gold Medal Champion Scholar (8th) Gold Medal History Challenge (2nd) Gold Medal Debating Champion (7th) Silver Medal Challenge Champion Silver Medal Literature Challenge Silver Medal Social Studies Challenge Hannah 10 Ethan 10 SENIOR Team 4 Angus 10 Chloe 10 Debating Team (3rd) Scholars Team (10th overall) Scholar Silver Medal History Challenge Silver Medal Science Challenge Gold Medal Arts Challenge (4th) Scholar Gabby 10 Gold Medal- Debating Champion (10th) SENIOR Team 5 Jarvis 10 Silver Medal History Challenge Zachary 10 Silver Medal Arts Challenge Bailey 10 Gold Medal Da Vinci Scholar Renee is attending the WSC Global Round in Melbourne (Cooper and Ebanee went to the 2017 in Hanoi.) All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. (Tahlia and Hannah attended the 2017 WSC in Hanoi.) (Angus and Chloe attended the 2017 WSC in Hanoi.) All qualified for a 2018 WSC in Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur or Melbourne. Our SENIOR TEAMS won 50 AWARDS (4 Trophies, 15 Gold Medals and 31 Silver Medals), as follows: 12 TEAM AWARDS (4 Trophies and 8 Silver Medals) and 38 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS (15 Gold and 23 Silver Medals).

5 Semester 1, 2018 Page 5 SADA Interschool Debating GGHS Debating Training Hosting Round 1 We began the year with an Intro to Debating Training Day, run by Mrs Lyons in Thiele Library for 29 students. GGHS (Mrs Lyons, Mrs Grant and Year 11 debater, Lucca) hosted a night of 13 debates for 300 debaters, families, coaches and SADA adjudicators. Our WSC Debating Teams Following this, our greatest success in the World Scholar s Cup was in Debating. Our debaters won: A 3rd Place Team Trophy 1 Team Gold Medal 2 Team Silver Medals 8 Individual Gold Medals 5 Individual Silver Medals. SADA Debating Training Our Topics So far our Year 8/9 teams have debated: That Snapchat does more harm than good That schools should have to offer genderneutral uniforms That politicians should be entitled to private lives. Keen debaters then attended evening Training Workshops run by the SA Debating Association at Adelaide University: Our Senior A Grade Team has debated: New Debaters Evening That developing countries should not be held to the same environmental standards as developed countries. Rebuttal Masterclass Secret Topic Debating Points of Information. Our SADA Debating Teams This year GGHS has entered four teams in the SADA Interschool Debating Competition. Debates are held every three weeks in Terms 2 and 3 at various schools in the evenings, and teams meet weekly at lunchtime Debating Club meetings to prepare for them. Our Year 8/9 teams wish to thank their Year 10 coaches Chloe, Cooper and Jayden and Mrs Lyons. Our Senior A Grade team wish to thank their coach, Mrs Slater. (Left to Right) Emma, Ebanee, Sam, Adam That hybrid TV news/ entertainment shows are good for society. That Trump s presidency is good for democracy. (Left to Right) Korbin, Mary, Abi, Jordan All debaters are developing their speechwriting, critical thinking and public speaking skills well. So far our most successful team is Cooper s team of Adam, Annika, Ebanee, Emma and Sam, who are currently undefeated halfway through the season. (L to R) William, Angelina, Sophie, Jacob, Matthew

6 Page 6 Team Competitions: The Da Vinci Decathlon This year, for the first time, GGHS entered a team of eight Year 9 EXCEL students in the da Vinci Decathlon, which is held annually at St Peter s Girls School. Our representatives (Photo: Lto R) were: Ben, Sam, Adam, Emma, Olivia, Victoria, Ebanee and Jordan. They joined teams from 21 other public and private schools. They took part in 10 team competitions, covering: Art and Poetry Cartography Code-breaking Creative Producers (Dramatic Improvisation) Engineering English General Knowledge Ideation (Design) Mathematics Science. I congratulate all of these students on taking on these highly-interactive intellectual challenges and developing their teamwork skills. Our top performers were Engineers - Sam and Jordan. Sue Lyons, EXCEL Leader Da Vinci Decathlon Team (Left to Right): Ben, Sam, Adam, Emma, Olivia, Victoria, Ebanee, Jordan EXCEL News

7 S e m e s t e r 1, Page 7 Legacy Public Speaking Competition (Left to Right): Ebanee, Jade, Olivia, Enya Public Speaking Competitions Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition This public speaking competition aims to enhance students oral communication skills and to help people appreciate the ideals of Legacy, which are: voluntary service social justice caring personal sacrifice mateship. On the evening of Friday 25th May, four Year 9 Public Speaking Club members - Ebanee, Jade, Olivia and Enya - took part in this competition at Legacy House in the city. Each student had to present a 5-minute prepared speech on an ideal of Legacy. Then they had to prepare a 2-minute impromptu speech after only five minutes preparation time. We congratulate Olivia for becoming a State Finalist, giving a speech, in verse, on: Social Justice: Education for Girls. The State final will be held on Friday 3rd August 2018 at 6.30pm at Legacy House (102 Franklin St, Adelaide) and everyone is most welcome to attend. United Nations Youth VOICE National Final Voice is a unique program that challenges young people to analyse some of the world s greatest conflicts and problems, and to develop creative pitches to resolve them. Over 1000 Year 7-10 students participate in this competition nationwide. Only 60 were chosen to attend the week-long Voice National Final in Brisbane in the April school Holidays. We congratulate Ebanee (Year 9 - pictured above) on being selected to represent SA. The issues Ebanee spoke on were: How can we increase access to medicines in developing countries? How can we improve the juvenile justice system in Australia? Well done, Ebanee!

8 Page 8 Historical Research Competition: Premier s ANZAC Spirit School Prize The Premier s ANZAC Spirit School Prize for Year 9 and 10 students aims to: recognize, connect and maintain the provide the chance for students to participate in an original and authentic history research project. and women during World War 1. Congratulations to both Kelly, and her History Teacher, Mrs Grant, on being selected among ANZAC Spirit This year our Year 10 the fourteen students and ANZAC Spirit School Prize Winner Kelly (Year 10) build on the Year 9 History Curriculum s World War 1 Depth Study. student, Kelly, wrote a winning essay about the ANZAC Spirit of Australian servicemen two teachers to attend a fully-funded 14-day study tour to Vietnam during October 2018! Channel 9 Young Achiever Innovation Award Winner Lachlan (Year 11) Channel 9 Young Achiever: Innovation For some years, 16-yearold, Lachlan (Year 11) has been passionate about computer and coding. programming He was a guest speaker at the 2017 Global Collaboration Conference and the Open State workshopping seminar. At the 2017 Startup Weekend, Lachlan won an award and grant to develop his product GetMoova, an electronic smart wrist device for children. GetMoova both encourages children s physical activity and has an emergency notification system connected to their parent s phone for use if the child believes they are in danger. In May Lachlan won a Channel 9 Young Achiever Award for Innovation, beating his three co-finalists who were at least 10 years his senior! Well done, Lachlan! Sue Lyons EXCEL Leader EXCEL News

9 S e m e s t e r 1, United Nations Youth State Conference: Power, Diplomacy and Influence Page 9 Last year two Year 10 EXCEL students, Lucca and Renee, represented GGHS at the annual UN Youth State Conference. They enjoyed it so much that this year they decided to go again! The UN Youth State Conference is a 3-day residential weekend event held at the Nunyara Conference Centre, Belair, that is open to all students from Years 10 to 12. It is run entirely by young people for young people. The theme of this year s conference was: Power, Diplomacy and Influence. The conference allowed students to delve into the role of diplomats, as well as learning how influence takes place, from grassroots activism to the halls of the United Nations through: engaging workshops interactive problem solving activities an array of social activities a day of Model United Nations Debate Well done, Lucca and Renee! Introduction to Tournament of Minds Photo (Left to Right) : Sophie, Abbey, Jarvis and Tia practise a TOM performance.

10 Forthcoming EXCEL Events: Term 3 Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition State Final 6.30pm Friday 3 August Legacy House 102 Franklin St Adelaide ALL VIEWERS WELCOME! (Free) Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Wed 15 - Wed 22 August Evatt SA Diplomacy Competition Sunday Year 9-12 Students University of Adelaide Sunday 19 August 8.30am-3.10pm (In teams of 2: $35 per person) Intermediate B Grade Debating Quarter-Final Prince Alfred College Tuesday 4 September 23 Dequetteville Terrace Kent Town ALL VIEWERS WELCOME! (Free) PHILOSOTHON: 1. Do people have the right to do with their own body whatever they want? 2. Is civil disobedience ever morally justified, and, if so, under what conditions? Year 8-12 Students pm Wed 5 September Seymour College 546 Portrush Rd Glen Osmond Year 8-10 Students Sunday September 9 Flinders University Sturt Road Bedford Park ALL VIEWERS WELCOME! ($2 per visitor) If you would like to find out more about any of these events, please the EXCEL Leader, Sue Lyons on: Sue.Lyons290@schools.sa.edu.au or telephone