Outstanding Student Achievement
This year, a team of eight Meriden students participated in the Sydney Philosothon, an interschool event hosted by Newington College. The team consisting of Estee, Chloe and Rochelle (Year 10), Emma, Jessie and Cynthia (Year 9), and Maggie and Grace (Year 8), participated in three Community of Inquiry discussions, exploring the following questions: Happiness is not the most important thing. Or is it? What does it mean for a society to progress? Is our relationship with nature too transactional?
In these student-led discussion circles, the students respectfully debated their points of view, built on each other’s arguments and demonstrated intellectual humility through the ability to admit that they had changed their minds over the course of the discussion. Congratulations to all team members who engaged so thoughtfully and respectfully in all their conversations, and thank you to Ms Stella He for also attending the event.
Annual Philosophy Competition
Meriden’s annual philosophy competition, run by this year’s Philosophy Captains, Lisa and Ashly, focused on the theme of Freedom and Autonomy. Students were asked to think critically and creatively about how we understand choice, responsibility, and what it means to live in our world today. Through their responses, students grappled with questions such as: What does it mean to be free? How much control do we really have over our own choices? Is it truly possible to be free in a world shaped by rules, expectations, and influences? Does greater freedom always lead to greater happiness?
We commend all students who entered this competition and congratulate this year’s winners of each category.
Junior Category (Year 7-9) – Art
Winner – Emma, Year 7
Junior Category (Year 7-9) – Writing
Winner – Maggie, Year 8 (“How much control do we really have over our own choices?”)
Highly Commended – Muyao, Year 8 (“Is academic autonomy necessary for genuine learning?”) and Brionne, Year 7 (“I am free… right?”)
Senior Category (Year 10-12) – Art
Winner – Jasmine, Year 11
Senior Category (Year 10-12) – Writing
Winner – Xinghui, Year 10 (“The Kindred”)
Highly Commended – Ila, Year 12 (“The Consumption Paradox: Does modern consumption reduce our freedom?”) and Nicole, Year 12 (“Never Mind”).
