In a challenge that would have made MacGyver proud, St Margaret’s Science and Engineering Opti-MINDS team finished on the podium at the recent State and National finals, solving a complex problem using everyday objects.
The five Year 6 students, who placed second in the Division 1 category, were presented with a long term challenge (within which they also completed a spontaneous challenge task) and were given three hours in supervised lockdown to prepare their response in the form of a dramatic play.
Bella Evans, Sienna Crockett, Sienna Small, Jessica Duncan and Lucy Williams impressed the panel of judges with their creative solution to the challenge presented at this year’s final held at The University of Queensland.
The girls were given a number of objects including a cone, ping pong ball, paper, string, sticky tape and cotton reels to build a totem pole device which fulfilled the set criteria.
Their ten minute play was based on a coronation at which the Queen had everyone in a fluster preparing for the momentous event. The totem pole device was the crowning glory at the coronation.
Opti-MINDS is a team challenge requiring students to “think, create and communicate”. Students develop their communication skills, both verbal and listening and time management and leadership skills. Opti-MINDS encourages critical thinking, complex problem solving and creative problem solving, providing a platform for students to extend and grow. The Challenge process equips students with strategies and skills invaluable for the learning years ahead and critically important for success in the future workforce.
St Margaret’s had three teams made up of students in Years 5 and 6 entered in this year’s Opti-MINDS Regional Challenge in the categories of Language Literature, Social Science and Science Engineering. The Science Engineering team won in their category leading them to compete in the recent State and National finals.