Techno Wizards do Flinders proud at State Finals

(posted 21.09.10)

Matthew Flinders Anglican College Primary School students have enjoyed success at both the Regional and State Finals of the Tournament of Minds (TOM).

Two Flinders teams went through to the State Finals held at Griffith University earlier this month, and one of the teams - the Techno Wizards - was named runner-up State Champion.

TOM is exactly what the name implies – a tournament where all the action is with the mind. The tournament aims to challenge participants from across Primary, Secondary and University levels to come up with solutions to specific challenges in one of four disciplines: Applied Technology, Social Sciences, Maths Engineering and Language Literature.

Three Flinders Primary teams competed in the TOM Sunshine Coast Regional Finals held at Noosaville State School on August 29. The Applied Technology team and one of the Language Literature teams won their divisions and went on to the State Finals held at Griffith University on September 12.

State Finals are big! Teams converge from all over Queensland with the day beginning at 8am and finishing about 6pm. The mind games are played all day!

The Applied Technology team, the Techno Wizards, was runner-up in their division with a video and play. The team had to solve weekly clues over a period of four weeks to work out the latitude/longitude of the “secret” locations and the significance of the effigy mounds at these locations. This team was facilitated by Mrs Leanne Craven. Team members were: Baxter Norman, Marcus van Vuuren, Zak Cassells, James Sotiropoulos, Isobel Lawson, Bryce Harrison and Mitchell Collins.

While TOM culminates in Regional and State Finals in September, TOM operates at Flinders across Terms 2 and 3. TOM really is a wonderful extra-curricular activity at Flinders and the 2010 participants are excited and looking forward to the 2011 challenges.

Photo: The Techno Wizards were runner-up State Champions at the State Finals of the Tournament of Minds. Back, left to right, Marcus van Vuuren, Bryce Harrison, Mrs Leanne Craven, Mitchell Collins; front, James Sotiropoulos, Isobel Lawson and Baxter Norman. Absent: Zak Cassells. 

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