The World Scholar’s Cup

The World Scholar’s Cup is an interdisciplinary, inquiry-based learning programme that aims to develop essential critical thinking skills. In this challenge, students are urged to discover incredible tales, concepts, and information across a range of subject areas. These include: Art and Music, Literature, Science, History, Social Studies, and a Special Mystery Topic (usually based on Philosophy and Reasoning, and other unfamiliar theoretical concepts).

Once they are equipped with this knowledge and understanding, students work individually and collaboratively in a number of challenges. The Collaborative Writing Challenge sparks each student’s imagination as they need to produce a creative or persuasive piece. Assisting one another at the beginning of the process allows each individual to receive multiple ideas and input from their peers, which would eventually come to life in their writing.

The Scholar’s Bowl is one of the many trials that students encounter. With buzzers in hands, there are a frenzy of whispers amongst each team to answer each question without being heard by their neighbouring rivals.

Debating is another key challenge for each team. With only fifteen minutes to prepare, our speakers are required to respond to a number of central topics and propose their arguments with poise and confidence; persuading the audience to agree with their justified and rational points.

Once the debating concludes, students move to another secret location for the Scholar’s Challenge. Preparation is the key for this particular task. Under timed conditions, each student completes a multiple-choice test and has to recall their previous knowledge of the material covered throughout the seven disciplines; applying this to new and familiar scenarios or questions.

In 2019, we have had incredible success at the Gold Coast Regional Round, and Global Round in Beijing, China. Emboldened by the support of their peers and teachers, eighteen students qualified for the final round, The Tournament of Champions 2019, which was held at Yale University (Connecticut, United States of America).

Every Senior School student who attended the Tournament of Champions received a medal across the various disciplines. One student wrote a captivating piece for the Individual Writing Challenge and was awarded with 13th place within the Senior Division. With their peers, the team came 15th overall in the Team Writing Challenge. With over 364 schools and approximately 1,800 students per division at this international challenge, one team representing A.B. Paterson College was incredibly successful in attaining 19th overall in the Senior Division. Thorough preparation is always needed as our students compete against other exceptionally minded individuals from all corners of the world.