Student News Term 3 Week 10

As we close out Term 3 and prepare for a well-deserved spring break, we are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our students.

Tournament of Minds

Our Year 5 Arts team triumphed in the Tournament of Minds, securing first place and a spot at the International Finals in Sydney this October. The STEM team took second, earning an Honours Certificate, while the Social Sciences team placed third, receiving a Merit Certificate. A podium finish for all our talented teams is an incredible accomplishment!

ACT School Sport Track and Field Championships

On Tuesday, 15 CGGS athletes competed at the ACT School Sport Track and Field Championships. We are immensely proud of the 11 students who achieved podium finishes, showcasing the depth and talent of our athletes. Among the standout performances were:

Olivia (Year 8)—14 years 400m, 800m, 1500m Champion

Rachel (Year 9)—15 years High Jump Champion

Siena (Year 10)—16 years 100m, 200m Champion

Charlotte (Year 10)—16 years 400m, 800m Champion

Alice (Year 10)—16 years 1500m Champion

Audrey (Year 11)—17 years 400m Champion

Rosie (Year 12)—18 years 800m, 1500m Champion, setting a meet record in the 18yrs 1500m.

Australian Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships

During the last week of Term 3, eight debaters travelled to Brisbane. Elke, Ridhima, Sidhe (Year 10) and Grace (Year 9) competed in the Australian Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships and Elise (Year 9), Pinipa, Gresha (Year 8) and Alice (Year 7) competed in Speakfest.

Both competitions involve students undertaking all four sections: debating, prepared speaking, impromptu speaking, and interpretative reading. Over the two days, participants engage in each section twice. This year a lockdown interfered with the second round of debating—but this did not stop the competition from being challenging or the students demonstrating excellent skills and strong collegiality with like-minded peers from various schools.

The students all performed with distinction in terms of their results and as representatives of CGGS. Ridhima, Sidhe and Elke all won positions in the twelve-member Australian team to compete at the Worlds Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships in April 2025.

Junior School performance at Floriade

On Thursday 26 September, our Bandicoot Concert Band and Alma Orchestra braved the weather to perform at Floriade on the main stage. Both ensembles performed their best to a small but appreciative audience. Thanks to Mrs David, Mrs O'Keeffe and Mrs Taaffe for accompanying the students and Mr McDonald for the hot doughnuts.

Alumni visits
This week, we were privileged to welcome two esteemed Alumni, Annie Ryan (Class 1989) and Dimity Douglas (Class 1988), both members of CPA Australia, who spoke to students about careers in Finance and Accounting. Their insights into the financial world, combined with Dimity’s experience in elite sport, were both inspiring and empowering for our students.

Year 12 Design presentations
A big shoutout to our incredible Year 12 Design students—this week, they took a significant step forward in their projects by presenting their initial concepts to industry professionals. Architects Chloe and Aaron from Cox Architecture, and Alice Sutton (Class of 2007), a Grammarian from Edition Designs, shared their expert insights and feedback. It’s an exciting moment as our students refine their ideas and bring their creative visions to life with guidance from some of the best in the business.