Welcome to the end of Week 5, a week that has brought our travellers home, welcomed our future students through the door and kept our Year 12s firmly focused on the finish line. It has been a busy and rewarding week across the Academy.
Our Year 12 students have now completed the second week of their final IB examinations, with one more week still to go. The end is in sight, and I encourage our Year 12s to keep up the routines that have carried them this far: steady study, good sleep and time to recharge between papers. You should be proud of the perseverance you have shown, and we are cheering you on every step of the way.
This week we were delighted to welcome home our students from the Japan Super Science Fair (JSSF). They return with new friendships, fresh perspectives and many stories to share from the experience of presenting and exploring science at the Science Fair. I thank Kirsten Baker and Jen Colley for accompanying the group, and I look forward to hearing more about their discoveries.
On Wednesday, our junior honours students from Years 8 to 10 attended the SPARQ-Ed Junior Honours Program Excursion at the Translational Research Institute in Woolloongabba. Through safe, structured laboratory activities, students gained hands-on experience working with DNA, extracting recombinant plasmid DNA from transformed bacteria cells. Experiences like this bring classroom learning to life and give our students a deeper understanding of the molecules at the heart of modern science.
Also on Wednesday, our Years 9 to 11 students and their parents were invited to the Careers in Health Presentation, organised by our Guidance Officer (career planning), Katrina Judge. A UQ panel from the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences (HMBS) spoke from 2:00 to 3:00pm, offering insight into career pathways and international opportunities. The panel also covered courses, internships, entry requirements and scholarships. It was wonderful to see families join us as students begin to map out their futures.
On Thursday afternoon, the Academy was buzzing with young, bright minds attending our outreach programs, the ASCEND and STEM Scholars workshops. Our outreach programs extend the Academy's STEM learning beyond our own students, giving talented and curious learners from upper primary and the middle years the chance to explore, create and connect with our teachers, students and university and industry partners well before they join us. Each program is designed for a different stage of a young learner's journey, and we are proud to share a little more about them below.
The ASCEND Program: Pathways to the Future is a four-year enrichment program for highly capable students, offered by invitation based on their Year 7 selective entry application. Students take part in STEM research projects, workshops and excursions alongside QASMT teachers, student ambassadors and university and industry partners. Graduates receive an automatic offer into our Year 10 IB Diploma Preparation Program. The program grows with each year level:
Empower (Year 6): building confidence, study skills and familiarity with the campus.
Enrich (Year 7): developing research skills through an independent project.
Excel (Year 8): presenting research to an authentic audience during National Science Week.
Enrol (Year 9): connecting with current QASMT students ahead of Year 10, including an overnight sleepover for students and parents.
More information is available at https://qasmt.eq.edu.au/our-community/outreach-programs/ascend-program
STEM Scholars invites high-achieving and Highly Capable students in Years 3 to 6, nominated by local primary schools. These run on Thursdays from 4:00 to 5:30pm, led by QASMT senior teachers and external STEM providers, with several workshops each term. Workshops are user-pays, with a one-off registration fee. New members are celebrated at the STEM Scholars Celebration where they receive a badge, SMT lab coat and Certificate. Enrolment is by nomination through local primary school principals, and nominated students can contact connections@qasmt.eq.edu.au. More information is at https://qasmt.eq.edu.au/OurCommunity/OutreachPrograms/Pages/STEM-Scholars.aspx
We also offer the Young Einstein Program, which supports highly gifted and exceptional students in Years 3 to 6 who have been formally assessed with an IQ of 140 or above. The group meets after school at QASMT throughout the year. Students undertake challenging, independent, project-based STEM learning, receive support from QASMT Student Mentors and hear from senior students who have prepared research for national and international science networks. They then showcase their projects at a student-led exhibition. Participants are invited to a Celebration Afternoon during our annual Science Fair , and some students will present at the STEM Showcase during our special week. To enquire, contact connections@qasmt.eq.edu.au or visit https://qasmt.eq.edu.au/OurCommunity/OutreachPrograms/Pages/Young-Einsteins.aspx
As we head into Week 6, I thank our families and staff for their continued care and support of our students. Behind every event, excursion and program this term is a community of teachers, parents and carers who give their time and encouragement so that our students can thrive. We wish our Year 12s every success as they sit their final IB papers and complete this important chapter. We are incredibly proud of the determination and resilience they have shown throughout their journey at the Academy, and we look forward to celebrating all they have achieved.
To all our students, thank you for embracing every opportunity this week has offered, and I hope you enjoy a restful weekend.
Warm regards,
Kath Kayrooz
Principal
Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology