Putting on their thinking caps

THE St Carthages Tournament of Minds team invented the mineral 'cosmolight' to win the national competition in Perth last week.

"Cosmos, because we wanted something universal," Angus Beveridge (11) said.

"And light, because it gives light to the world," Mikaela Auld (11) added, explaining that meant 'light' in a metaphorical sense, because the team was aware that many people are affected by depression.

The Tournament of Minds is a competition for primary school students that values creativity and performance.

At the national level teams are given three hours to solve a problem, with no assistance from adult supervisors. In this case they had to invent a mineral.

Teacher Jason Dimmick said the Year 5 and 6 team had presented 'cosmolight' using verse, songs and dialogue.

"When they first started out no-one wanted to sing by themselves, but since they've progressed through the regional competition to state level to the national, they've grown in confidence and are happy to sing solo," he said. "They've taken themselves out of their comfort zone, learned how to work together and they still get on brilliantly."

The kids agreed that one of the most valuable parts of the competition was learning to work together.

"We learned how to co-operate and how to be individuals at the same time," Joe Bush (11) said.

"We met lots of students from other places and everyone was nice and easy to get along with," Isabella Reidy (11) said.

The team said they'd loved the trip to Perth (particularly riding on the Fremantle Ferris Wheel) and that they couldn't have won without the support of their teachers, school and parents.