Kapanui School problem solvers off to Australia

MIND GAME: Tournament of Minds national winners, from left, Jackson Kelly, Jack Everett-Brown, Leo Duncan, Cullen Tran, Sam Sexton, Ben Lambert, Jono Mear.

A team from Kapanui School has again made it to the Australasian Pacific final of Tournament of Minds.

The tournament is a problem-solving competition for creative students from years 5 to 8.

The team, comprising Jackson Kelly, Jack Everett-Brown, Leo Duncan, Cullen Tran, Sam Sexton, Ben Lambert, Jono Mear, won the regional and national final, in the social sciences category, and now head to the Gold Coast for the Australasian Pacific final, where they will compete in the same category, between October 13-16.

They will face a three-hour challenge as well as a spontaneous challenge.

Teacher Rochelle McKenzie praised the team, saying they had been inventive and self reliant.

"They've organised their own meetings and own practices, and really have been independent.

"And it's good to have some people in the team [Jackson Kelly and Jack Everett-Brown] who have done this before and being able to use some of the skills they've learnt from previous years.

"It will be a great experience for the team and it would be good to get a placing too."

The team is busy fundraising, each has to raise about $1400 each, and have set up a givealittle page.

Kapanui School has a proud history in Tournament of Minds.

In their first attempt they came second in the applied technology category of the Australasian Pacific final, in their second attempt they made the nationals, and they're back in the Australasian Pacific final.

www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/getustoaustralia