More than 630 school students converged on The University of Queensland on Sunday, September 12 for the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Opti-MINDS Challenge.
Ninety teams from schools in 14 regions across Queensland participated in the state final, formerly known as Tournament of Minds (Qld) Inc, at the UQ Centre.
The successful teams that will now go on to represent Queensland at a cultural exchange event in New Zealand later in the year include Kingaroy State High School, Townsville Grammar Junior School, Suncoast Christian College and Ingham State High School (see below for more results).
For the first time the event included participants from years 10 to 12 and tertiary students as well as its traditional six to 16 age range, making it the largest state final in the event’s 16 years of operation.
Opti-MINDS Director Fiona Meyer said the teams used their analytical, creative and team-working skills to meet Challenges in the categories of Maths Engineering, Language Literature or Social Sciences.
“Opti-MINDS is proof of the hope and potential for the future of us all. It inspires through the practice and enactment of its principals,” Ms Meyer said.
Students had three hours to prepare a solution to a Challenge, put the solution into a dramatic presentation and make their props and costumes. They then presented the solution to a panel of judges and a public audience.
Ms Meyer said the event wasn’t about competing; it was about the processes the students go through.
“Opti-MINDS is the process of change, optimising your thinking for optimal performance,” she said.
“It instils a proactive mindset of capability, responsibility, creativity, innovation, and excellence within participants.
“It encourages them to realise their own capacity and responsibility to make the difference for themselves.”
For more information about Opti-MINDS please visit: www.opti-minds.com
Media: For more information or photos, contact Fiona Meyer (telephone 07 3356 4455, email: admin@opti-minds.com) or Chris Saxby at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2479, email: c.saxby@uq.edu.au).
RESULTS
MATHS ENGINEERING
Division I
First The Glennie School
Honours Good Shepard Lutheran College
Honours Eagle Junction State School
Division II
First Good Counsel College
Honours Good Shepherd Lutheran College
Honours Brisbane State High School
Division III
First Kingaroy State High School
Honours Emmaus College
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Division I
First Townsville Grammar Jnr School
Honours Algester State School
Honours All Saints Anglican School
Division II
First Suncoast Christian College
Honours Nanango State High School
Honours Anglican Church Grammar School
Division III
First St Joseph’s Nudgee College
Honours Whitsunday Anglican School
LANGUAGE LITERATURE
Division I
First Mater Dei Primary School
Honours St Patrick`s School St George
Honours Christian Outreach College
Division II
First Ingham State High School
Honours Mackay State High School
Honours The Cathedral College
Division III
First Kimberley College
Honours St Patrick’s College (Gympie)
Spirit of Opti-MINDS Awards
Glenmore SHS
Horn Island State School
Kimberley College
Mt Isa School of the Air
St Patrick’s School Bundaberg
St Rita’s College Clayfield
Woodridge State High School
