As part of the Learning Enrichment Accelerated Program (LEAP), Teams of students from Years 7 and 8 LEAP from Al Siraat College will be participating in the Tournament of Minds (TOM) Challenge in Term 3.
The Teams selected for Competition will attend the TOM Finals, held on Saturday, 24 August, 2024, at La Trobe University.
Tournament of Minds (TOM) is a problem-solving program for teams of students and this year, students from Year 7 and Year 8 LEAP will be participating in the TOM challenge as a part of their Inquiry Classwork.
TOM provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and talents in an exciting, vibrant and public way. The Tournament also aims to enhance skills in time management, enterprise, working as a team, thinking outside the square, utilising technology, working within a competitive environment and promoting knowledge and appreciation of self and others. It also provides a platform for excellence and equips participants with twenty-first century skills and strategies.
Students are required to solve demanding, open-ended challenges from one of the following disciplines:
- The Arts
- STEM
- Language Literature
- Social Sciences.
Teams are required to work together on a Long-Term Challenge for six weeks without assistance from teachers, parents or peers. They are encouraged to explore possibilities and experiment with ideas as they endeavour to produce the best possible solution. They develop a creative and original way to communicate this solution to others, working within predefined parameters such as limited materials, complex challenge criteria and the deadline of Tournament Day.
Competing teams must also participate in an unseen Spontaneous Challenge on Tournament Day. This challenge requires rapid interchange of ideas, the ability to think creatively and well-developed group cooperation skills.
Tournament of Minds is a celebration of the talents and capabilities of students. Thousands of parents, educators, and interested public flock annually to watch and enjoy the exhilarating spectacle of the presentations and the ingenious solutions created by motivated students who have accepted the Tournament challenge.
Our Year 7 & 8 LEAP (Learning Enrichment Accelerated Program) students are ready to take TOM Challenge Competition 2024 this year.
Selected students will be representing our college in the competition, and we wish them the best for embarking on this exciting and challenging experience.