APEX Excursions

An integral part of APEX (Academic Program of Excellence) is the opportunity for our participating Year 7, 8 and 9 students to experience an immersive day at one of Australia’s top universities in Queensland. These excursions expose our high achievers to the university pathways they could pursue in the future, while the fun-filled workshops whet their appetite for tertiary study and research.

On 17 September, our Year 8 APEX students had a challenging day at QUT Gardens Point campus which focused on STEM skills and introduced them to potential careers in Engineering. In the NASA Little Bits workshop, our students used Little Bits to recreate the circuitry embedded within satellite dishes used to communicate in space. In the Code a Solar System workshop, our students worked collaboratively to create an orbiting robotic solar system using Sphero robots. The Year 8s also explored the Physics Laboratory in the Cube, where they solved problems relating to gravity and other forces.

On 16 October, our Year 7 APEX are experiencing life at UQ St Lucia. At the Antiquities Museum, participating in workshop about Ancient Rome. They enriched their learning in Ancient History through interaction with real Roman artefacts. This workshop, the Coinage and Propaganda of Roman Emperors, involved students handling and deciphering images and Latin inscriptions on ancient Roman coins.

In early November, three of our talented APEX students attended the final two full-day workshops for the STEM Horizons for High Achievers program, which is aimed at students who excel in STEM subjects. These students were among those selected from schools across Queensland to extend and enrich their learning in real-world contexts. This week, students attended the Freshwater CSI and Building Blocks of Life workshops, accessing facilities and staff at the Princess Alexandra Hospital and Griffith University Ecocentre.

We also congratulated our graduating 2018 Year 9 APEX class, comprising high-performing students who achieved outstanding results in their subjects, on competitive fronts, and across all collaborative endeavours.