2014 School Magazine

UNITED NATIONS The Girls Grammar United Nations (UN) Club, coordinated by Ms Dare, meets bi-weekly to discuss topical world issues. From significant and relevant topics like women’s education and rights, to the more controversial topics of war and terror, UN Club provides a platform for the girls to express their ideas and enrich their knowledge on seminal world topics. The Club also provides various opportunities for the girls to become involved with human rights and UN Youth Australia (UNYA) outside of school. One event students participated in was the annual UN Youth EVATT competition, where students from various schools simulate the United Nations Security Council. Within the competition, teams of two are assigned a member state, to act on the state’s behalf for pretend resolutions. While it is a serious competition, the event is also about meeting like-minded individuals, and introducing public speaking in a more inviting setting. Girls Grammar this year entered two teams, one Year 12 and one Year 11 team. Both teams performed admirably, with the Year 12 team making it to the semi-finals. ■

E-SPORTS MARIANA SEGARAM (12W)

Founded in 2009, e-Sports is celebrating its sixth year at Brisbane Girls Grammar School as it continues to grow in its depth and scope for gaming possibilities. e-Sports provides girls with the opportunity to engage in relaxing and social games whilst promoting a comfortable friendly environment — often an appreciated break from the stress of our academic workload. Our wide variety of consoles and games are available for any student to play during a lunch break or after school. Working closely with our coordinator Mr Thomas and the rest of the Technology Studies department, e-Sports has held a variety of events in the past year including several popular competitions throughout school lunchtimes. Games such as Mario Kart, Guitar Hero and Just Dance on our new Xbox One

console were featured in these events and gave students and teachers the opportunity take a break from school work and compete against each other for the title of gaming champion. The e-Sports club is looking forward to many more fun and engaging gaming activities in the years to come. ■

OPTI-MINDS ALISON BECKEY (8R), REBECCA HALEY (8M), JESSICA HANH (8M), ALICIA HARASTY (8M) AND CAITLIN MCGRATH (8R)

The Topi-Topi tribe is once again on a destructive bent!

Three teams of innovative thinkers participated in the Opti- Minds 2014 regional competition. After tireless weeks of preparing, the students presented their creative solutions to intriguing challenges in August. These challenges included dangerous tuna cans, a society without identity groups and some troubled Topi-Topians.

The teams approached the challenge with confidence, sustainable thinking and creativity. They learned problem solving, perseverance, organisation and the ‘Opti-Spirit’. The girls had fun presenting their solutions which included giraffes, pigeons, pineapples, some funky ties and fantastic energy! The judges commented on the team’s energy and incredible insight into the challenge. All teams did very well, with the Social Science team taking out Honours and one of the Science and Engineering teams winning their division and going on to compete at State level. The Science and Engineering team stayed in a hotel together over an intense weekend. They had three hours to complete another challenge and create a play to present their solution. Although the team did not place, they had a fantastic time and have taken many skills from this experience.

We are all looking forward to coming back next year! ■

CO-CURRICULUM / 109