Gateway8 Academic Competition
At the end of last term, 16 Year 5 and Year 6 students represented SCEGGS at the Gateway8 Competition, an interschool academic challenge hosted annually by Macarthur Anglican School. Bringing together students from independent schools across Sydney, Gateway8 provides an exciting enrichment opportunity designed to extend students beyond their everyday classroom learning through challenging, collaborative and creative problem solving.
Working in two teams of eight, the Year 5 team consisted of Millie Wilson, Olive Manton, Bronte Lusted, Ines Allen, Emily Yeung, Mabel Smith, Jasmine Loa and Tove Klettenberg. The Year 6 team consisted of Kaylee Wang, Defne Aslan, Ava Grange, Ivy Zhang, Madeleine Chirakis, Alice Chandler, Eva Lobato Williams and Georgina Sharp.
Throughout the day, the girls completed six different challenges drawing on areas including English, Science, Music, Humanities, Mathematics, Creative Arts and Design. The challenges draw upon Howard Gardner’s eight multiple intelligences and required students to think flexibly, take intellectual risks and apply their knowledge and skills in new and unfamiliar contexts.
This year’s theme was Sustainability, inspired by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The girls were challenged to extend their thinking beyond traditional subject boundaries and consider complex, real-world issues from different perspectives. With limited time to complete each challenge, they needed to collaborate effectively, communicate their ideas, manage their time, solve problems and think both critically and creatively. They also needed to draw upon the different strengths of their team members as they grappled with tasks for which there was not always an obvious or immediate solution.
Both teams performed admirably on the day, with the Year 6 team achieving some outstanding results. They placed first in English and Music, second in Science and Mathematics, and third in Creative Arts and Design. These results saw the team finish second overall in the competition. An impressive achievement!
Gateway8 was a wonderful opportunity for our girls to be extended academically, work alongside like-minded peers and experience the challenge and enjoyment that comes from applying their learning in new and meaningful ways. We congratulate all 16 girls on their enthusiasm, teamwork and persistence.
Cristi Wilsmore and Genevieve Gloor
Gateway8 Facilitators
