Creative thinking and teamwork earned OHS the Spirit of TOM Award.

On Saturday, a group of Year 9 students represented OHS at the Tournament of Minds regional competition, a creative problem solving challenge that encourages students to work collaboratively and think in innovative ways.

The team had spent six weeks developing its Languages and Literature challenge. Students were asked to create a radio play series set in a world where modern technology disappears. They developed a comedic fairytale concept and created their own script, costumes, props and sound effects before presenting their solution as a live performance. On the day, they also faced a Spontaneous Challenge, giving them just five minutes to discuss an unfamiliar problem and develop a creative response.

For some students, this was their first Tournament of Minds competition, and it was the first time any member of the team had competed in the Secondary division. While they did not place in their division, the team received the Spirit of TOM Award, which recognises creativity, teamwork, innovation and respect.

Our students represented OHS extremely well. They showed resilience when faced with technical difficulties and demonstrated respect towards judges, other teams and those involved in the competition. The award was a fitting recognition of the work they put in over six weeks and the way they represented our WAKA values throughout the competition.