Students represent St Mary’s on national and international stage
POSTED May 25 2026 , News
Our students continue to demonstrate exceptional academic capability, representing our School across national and international opportunities.
Future Problem Solving World Finals
A group of Year 10 students will travel to Indiana, USA, for the Future Problem Solving World Finals in June. Panya, Chloe, Emma and Sophie placed in the top five in the Global Problem Solving division at last year’s national competition, and now they will compete with students from across the globe in complex, forward-focused challenges designed to develop critical and creative thinking. The international program challenges students to analyse future scenarios and propose innovative, research-based solutions. Good luck, girls!
da Vinci Decathlon State Champions
Our Year 8 da Vinci Decathlon team was recently crowned State Champion, following a competition that showcased teamwork, critical thinking and creativity. Their result secures them a place at the Australian National Finals in New South Wales, where they will compete in June against leading teams from across the country.
Our Years 5, 6 and 10 teams also delivered strong performances at the WA competition, finishing third in the State, with our Year 6 team securing first place in Code Breaking.
What is the da Vinci Decathlon?
The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition in which teams compete across ten disciplines: engineering, mathematics and chess, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers (acting), cartography and legacy. The competition is designed to challenge collaboration and higher-order thinking.
Isla Represents St Mary’s in Canberra
St Mary’s was also represented at a national level by Isla (Year 12), who attended the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Canberra, joining students from across Australia to explore key aspects of the Australian Constitution and parliamentary democracy.
Through visits to Parliament House, engagement with political leaders, and participation in structured debates, the experience provided a unique insight into the workings of the Australian government and civic responsibility.
Reflecting on the experience, Isla said:
“The Convention was officially opened by the education minister, the Hon. Jason Clare, marking the beginning of an incredibly exciting experience which saw us visit Parliament House, watch Question Time in the House of Representatives, and see firsthand how MPs represent their electorates.
This trip taught me more than I could have ever learned in a classroom. I gained a deeper understanding of Australian politics while also hearing a wide range of perspectives from students from around the country.”
These achievements reflect the depth of talent across our School and the opportunities available for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom. We look forward to following these students as they continue to represent St Mary’s with excellence at every level.