Each year, inspired by a different overarching theme, from Journey to the Centre of the World to Infinite Potentiality, from Myths around Us to Illusion and Reality, the Quest competition incorporates the main disciplines of Mathematics, Sciences and Humanities in a journey of discovery, giving gifted students the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of their own ability.

Four GCC teams entered The Quest Preliminary Challenge over two days on 30 and 31 October. Each team included three students in various age groups; the Year 3 team comprised of Lillian Smyth, Chelsea Brown and Connor Caldwell; the Year 6 team comprised of Jasper Tait, Arno Mens and Josiah Monos; Year 7 and Year 8 teams comprised of Teanna Newell, Olivia Grace Wolfe and Isabel Holley in the girls’ team, and Mason White, Jacob Barbeler and Ethan Redpath in the boys’ team.

All four teams performed exceptionally well with three teams going through to the State Finals at the University of Queensland on Saturday 11 November – Our Year 3, Year 6 and Year 7 and 8 girls’ team. The boys were pipped at the post for a spot despite coming second overall in the preliminaries in English.

With an early start on Saturday morning, nine students set off for the University of Queensland in good spirits and excited for the contest ahead. They gave each of the challenges their best and remained infallibly upbeat and enthusiastic throughout a very long day of extended brainwork.

With very stiff competition from schools all over Queensland, unfortunately, none of our teams made it through to the International Final this time, but all the students remained gracious in defeat and are already planning strategies for next year. Every one of them should be very proud of themselves for the enormous effort they put in, with many school teams not making it as far as they did. They gave their own time to represent the College in an extremely challenging competition and we congratulate them all!

Carol McKee, Future Pathways Coordinator