14 June 2023

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) conducted a competition for primary and secondary students to celebrate Gifted Awareness Week, asking them to prepare a response to the prompt ‘the diverse faces of giftedness’.

Gifted Awareness Week was founded in 2015 by the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of the identification, support and learning needs of gifted children, and to celebrate the dedication of individuals and educational bodies making a positive difference in the lives of gifted children and their families.

Congratulations to the competition winners, who have been awarded book vouchers:

• Miguel from MacKillop Catholic Regional College, Werribee, created artwork that captures the complexity of giftedness and reflects calm, conflict, chaos, optimism and despair.
• Deanna from Mount St Joseph Girls’ College, Altona, wrote ‘A sententious union’, a poem that has been described as an insightful mature response which poses some interesting questions for educators.
• Naomi from Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Sunbury, wrote an original story with a powerful message articulating the importance of identifying the needs of the individuals making up a classroom.
• Sofia from St Carlo Borromeo School, Greenvale, created a poster and accompanying film recognising the traits of giftedness and the important contribution of key people including Socrates, Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa.