Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2008

GRAMMAR GI RLS

Girls Grammar Physicists Beat the Best in the US

The United States Association for Young Physicists’ Tournaments invited Brisbane Girls Grammar School in recognition of the international profile the School has in the area of Physics—the School hosted the International Young Physicists’ Tournament (IYPT) in 2004 and Grammar girls were subsequently involved in the recent success of the Australian team in the International Tournament last year where they were named ‘world champions’.

from schools across the US and after a series of outstanding performances in the first five rounds they qualified for the final in the leading position. In the final round the Grammar girls defeated the defending champions, the all boys Woodberry Forest School, Virginia, 274.8 points to 272.5 points. This is an outstanding achievement for the girls—a great reward after their dedicated work.

Three Year 12 students, Samantha Luck (12W), Sarah Thang (12H) and Kathryn Zealand (12R), led by Science teacher, Miss C Keogh, represented the School at the United States Invitational Young Physicists’ Tournament in Durham, North Carolina in February. This was the first time a school outside the United States has been invited to attend the national tournament. As the only all girls team in the competition, they took on the best invited teams

Early in March, the International Young Physicists’ Tournament, Australia was held at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Two Girls Grammar teams entered the competition and both progressed to the final round. The team consisting of Samantha Luck (12W), Ekta Paw (12G) and Kathryn Zealand (12R) won the tournament and will be joined by Sarah Thang (12H) and Georgina Roberts (12L) to proceed to the International Young Physicists’ Tournament (IYPT) which will be held in Trogir, Croatia from May 21 to 28. This is the first occasion since the IYPT Australia Challenge began in 2003 that all of the selected members of the Australian team have been from the one school. IYPT Australia

Samantha Luck, Sarah Thang and Kathryn Zealand

photo courtesy: David Sproute

National Public Speaking Champion

relating to my parents’ emigration from China seventeen years ago’. The School Assembly heard Lucy’s winning speech earlier in 2007 when she won the Queensland final. Lucy was awarded a dictionary, medallion and $500. Lucy donated half of her prize money back to the Legacy Foundation as she strongly supports the amazing work the foundation does for war veterans. It was the first time that Lucy had entered this competition and she should be congratulated for such an outstanding achievement in being awarded Legacy National Public Speaker for 2007.

In November last year, Lucy Lee (10G) won the national finals of the Australian Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition. Lucy, one of ten state winners, travelled to Adelaide to represent Queensland. In this prestigious contest, the emphasis was on Australian values and patriotism. The speakers had to deliver a prepared speech as well as an impromptu speech. Lucy chose to speak on a topic that was personal to her. ‘We chose or own topic for a five-minute speech and had five minutes to prepare a two-minute impromptu speech. I spoke about the Southern Cross being our Australian icon

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