High potential students are those whose potential exceeds that of students of the same age. They may benefit from an enriched or extended curriculum and learning opportunities beyond the typical level of their age peers.
So, what has been happening in the High Potential Learning space at Greg’s?
Impactify Hackathon
Have you ever wondered what the future of housing would look like? Have you ever tried to simultaneously solve housing affordability, sustainability and wellbeing in one day? Have you ever asked a room full of our brightest and best youth what they would do?
Well at the first Impactify Hackathon held at the innovative new learning hub at Oakhill College the answer to all of these questions was a resounding “yes”!
The Hackathon is a relative new name for what is a modern day ‘Think Tank’. And think they did. The problem: to imagine a future where everyone can live a good life. The solution: well that’s where it gets a little more complicated.
The amazing St Greg’s team consisting of Joseph Bradley, James Atkin, Rhys Parmeter, Cody Danjoux, Cameron Newell, Justin Susnjara, Eamon Callaghan, Ethan Kenney and Giles Consunji joined intellectual forces after Brother Steven set the challenge for the to ‘Aspire to Inspire’. They worked throughout the day to solve not just the broad global issues but the local and personally relevant issues of the South-Western Sydney Airport Corridor Urban Sprawl.
As proud St Greg’s members, the ever-increasing over- development of our green spaces and the aspiration to own their own home one day are near and dear to the hearts of our students, and, with this firmly in their sights, the team collaboratively journeyed through the design process to create practical, viable and sustainable housing solution for our Macarthur area as a flagship community.
First step was to engage in ideationally fluid thinking, creating several answers to the same questions. The flurried scribbling on butcher’s paper soon transformed from the scrawl of infant brain sparks into a walking, toddling infant of a solution. This little idea became a multi-faceted concept home that the boys fondly named: HIVE. Based on the honeycomb structure of the hive of the socially connected honey bee. This concept of modular, hexagonal housing that utilises underground architecture aims to minimise the visual monotony of suburban low-cost housing and allow important ecosystems in and around the South West Catchment area to flourish. HIVES would be 3D printed using cutting edge liquid wood technology, incorporate sustainable features like kinetic flooring and solar panels and would have one level underground to help with heating and cooling. Built on a double hexagon footprint, the large internal communal area allows for interconnected communal green spaces that encourage dialogue and shared experiences between neighbours; reigniting the sense of belonging so important to long term happiness.
Other teams on the day pitched amazing ideas that ranged from reforming zoning laws to create multi purpose spaces more affordable, eco-villages, multi-generational housing and even a shift to a future grounded back on traditional ways of living, however it was our winning team from St Greg’s that took out the top spot as the Inaugural Impactify Champions for 2024.
The real winner of the day, however, was the experience of developing design-thinking solutions to real-world problems. A Hackathon, by nature, calls upon competitors to develop shortcuts, solutions and reframe roadblocks into avenues. The ability for young minds to think beyond current problems of today and aspire to inspire new solutions and blue-sky thinking is why these young men of Greg’s will be our hope for a sustainable and connected future for all Aussies.
Da Vinci Decathlon
The Da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. Students compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography and legacy. The Da Vinci Decathlon began in 2002 as an exciting offshoot of the very successful Da Vinci Program for gifted and talented students at Knox. The Decathlon is designed to celebrate the academic gifts of Australian youth by providing a stimulating and challenging competition run in the spirit of an Olympic Decathlon.
On 3 April at Knox Grammar school, St Gregory’s College took part in their first Da Vinci Decathlon Regional Qualifier. Students who show aptitude in more than one subject area were selected to compete against the best and brightest in the Sydney Region. We achieved amazing results with top 3 placements in several areas and an impressive overall 2nd place for our Year 11 team.
Year 11 Team
Domenico Cocco, Lucas DiFazio, James Palpal-Latoc, Anthony Obad, Jacob Pace, Isaiah Hardwick, Oliver Tannous, Jason Lee
Results: 3rd Code Breaking, 2nd Legacy, 3rd English, 3rd Ideation, 3rd Mathematics, 3rd Cartography, 1st Drama
2nd Overall
Year 9/10 team
Alexander Langford, Mitchell Williams, Ethan Kenney, Anthony Day, Avaneesh Chavan, Joshua Pearce, Owen Fishlock, Anthony Smith (Year 9)
Results: 2nd Cartography, 3rd Engineering, 1st Legacy
Year 9 Team
Alvin Mamala, Harrison Rooney, Sacha Colompar, Campbell Hodgson, Declan McManus, Lachlan Selby, Dean Margaritis, William Walsh
Results:
1st Drama, 2nd Mathematics , 3rd Ideation
Special thanks to Mrs Armbruster, Mrs Grant, Mrs Hackett for supporting these teams in their successes.
Ms Judith Tolomeo
Director of Teaching and Learning