Critical and creative thinking skills and grit

HVGS screens participants into enrichment programs: • based on consistent assessment tasks, and • in comparison against age-group peers.

The means, students can complete tasks and compete in competitions that are:

• both challenging and rewarding and • encouraging them to persist.

As with any learning process, critical thinking and creativity require students to be present and focused, which requires grit.

What enrichment programs are offered to students in the Junior School?

The Junior School Gifted and Talented program incorporates: • Future Problem Solving (FPS) – Global Issues • FPS - Scenario Writing • FPS - Scenario

Performance • Tournament of Minds • Writing Enrichment • Maths Olympiad • Maths Games • Peer Tutoring • University of Newcastle SMART: Science Maths and Real Technology programs • Competitions such as WriteOn, What Matters? My Place and • Educational assessments - ICAS

What is the FPS - Scenario Performance Finals Competition, which students participated and what was the result?

A Super Rap

Congratulations to Miliana Callan (Year 8), who was recently awarded third place in Junior category in the Tax, Super and You competition run by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Students from the Senior School were invited to create a project that highlighted their entry topic on tax and super. The competition encourages students to review educational online resources, to improve their understanding of the Australian tax and superannuation systems.

Miliana created her video entry to highlight the value of tax in the community. Miliana displayed her superb rap skills and knowledge of tax and super in her entry.

HVGS has entered this competition previously and were placed second, so we are thrilled Miliana received third place. Miliana as well as Hunter Valley Grammar School was awarded a $300 MasterCard gift card. Congratulations Miliana!

Isabelle Hicks, Odette Mury and Gemma Taylor were invited to compete.

Scenario Performance is a story-telling competition where students develop and submit short videos of themselves orating a story. Students must compete individually and tell a creative and entertaining, futuristic story related to a FPS topic - Youth in Competitive Sports, Wearable Technology, and Human Environmental Impact.

From these submissions, students were then selected to present on Personalised Medicine with the live National FPS Australia Finals taking place in October.

Isabelle and Odette were placed in the top seven students in Australia, and we are so very proud of their efforts.

An Art of Success

Emma Purdie (Year 2) donated one of her wonderful artworks to Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) for the gallery’s art sale in the Young MRAG Members section. Emma’s artwork was purchased by a Sydney collector and will be included in the Elliott-Eyes Collection.

The Elliott-Eyes Collection is a private art collection with an emphasis on selected artists. Although it is a private collection, it can be viewed as part of a guided tour by the collectors. The tour provides insights into their chosen artworks and explains how they were obtained.

What a fantastic achievement for such a young artist.