Two teams from St Columba Anglican School (SCAS) have won the state final of the Tournament of Minds, held at the University of New South Wales.
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Tournament of Minds is a problem solving competition in which teams of seven students are required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges in front of an audience by incorporating a dramatic performance.
The teams which comprised of students from Years 7 to 10 were victorious in two categories, The Arts and Social Sciences, having progressed from the regional finals which were held in Coffs Harbour earlier this year.
These teams claimed the top spot at the state final against ten other regional winners from around the state.
The tournament judges were very impressed by the creativity, originality and teamwork displayed by the SCAS students.
One team had the hypothetical challenge of convincing the government that the arts are an essential part of a civilised society and deserve more funding.
The other team had to find a way for two opposing characters, with differing personalities, to work together and overcome a challenging situation.
Each team had three hours to prepare and perform in front of an audience, within a 3m by 3m space, using only a box of basic materials as props.
Mr Chris Delaney, Mrs Julie Beard and Mr Mark Brown from SCAS helped the students on their journey throughout the competition.
Mr Delaney, Director of Professional Learning at SCAS, believes the tournament builds skills in collaboration, creativity and communication which are essential skills for the 21st Century.
“Students from mixed age groups have to work together to provide a ten minute dramatic performance that addresses a problem,” Mr Delaney said. “In the middle of their three hour preparation they also have to respond to a spontaneous challenge. It’s a lot about showing teamwork, creativity and problem solving within a competitive environment.”
The two teams will now compete in the international final of Tournament of Minds to be held in Darwin on October 13.