Jasmine Muir of Year 10 has been crowned National Champion in the prestigious Australian History Competition.
If you were given ninety minutes to answer 100 questions covering all aspects of the Australian Curriculum in History, could you do it? Every year more than five-thousand students try, seeking glory in the National History Competition.
In 2019, that honour went to Westside Christian College student, Jasmine Muir, who was crowned National and State Champion. For her efforts, Jasmine received a specially minted medallion, a portfolio of her achievement and a cash prize.
To achieve a High Distinction in the competition, participants must attain over 84%. Jasmine achieved an incredible 96%. To put this into perspective, Jasmine beat out over 5000 other entrants.
I love history because it gives me the skills to become a compassionate history-maker. – Jasmine Muir
This is not the first time the humble student has blitzed the competition. In 2018, both she and fellow Westside student, Emma Newell, topped the state in the National Geography Competition.
Head of Secondary, Joshua Mansfield, reflects, “These competitions are included in our College fee structure as we see their importance in helping students prepare for their futures, especially in regard to the external examinations they will now face in Year 12.”
The bright-eyed Jasmine, who has been at Westside since Prep, sees incredible value in studying the past. Fresh from playing Lucy in the College’s extended production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, she notes, “I love history because it gives me the skills to become a compassionate history-maker.” When asked about her future plans, the polymath laughs, “That remains to be seen.”
Elaine Niesler, Instructional Dean of Humanities could not be prouder of the performance, “Jasmine is a hardworking and respectful student. I can’t wait to see what the next few years hold for her.”
The Competition, prepared by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia and run in conjunction with The Giant Classroom, aims to provide an interesting and challenging competition for students. Competitors must race against the clock as they analyse and evaluate sources from several time periods and cultures.
Expect to see Jasmine Muir make more history in the future.