Students Shine at Da Vinci Decathlon
The Da Vinci Decathlon returned once again in 2025, bringing together some of Perth's brightest young minds for an exhilarating academic contest.
Held in the grand surrounds of Winthrop Hall at the University of Western Australia on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 May, the event drew over 40 schools and hundreds of students into a two-day whirlwind of intellectual challenge and collaboration.
This year's theme - light - sparked creativity and curiosity across every discipline. From scientific explorations of optics and physics to metaphorical interpretations in literature and philosophy, the concept of light served as both a guiding motif and a demanding intellectual stimulus.
Far from a conventional competition, the Da Vinci Decathlon celebrates versatility across ten rigorous categories: Engineering, Mathematics, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography, and Legacy. It demands not only subject knowledge, but also quick thinking, teamwork, and adaptability, qualities that Iona students brought in abundance.
Our teams tackled the challenges with enthusiasm and determination. In rooms filled with buzz and brainpower, they collaborated on cryptic puzzles, constructed engineering marvels, debated complex ideas, and presented imaginative responses to the theme.
| Year 7 Team | Year 8 Team | Year 9 Team | Year 10 Team |
|---|---|---|---|
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Keturah Downing (7 O'Halloran Sea)
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Sophie Brozicevich (8 O'Dowling)
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Giselle Bregger (9 Treacey)
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Aerin Ho (10 Kildare)
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Lettiesha Lee (7 Columba Sea)
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Isabella Crosbie (8 Columba)
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Victoria Churchill (9 O'Dowling)
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Francesca Katin (10 O'Halloran)
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Lila Martin (7 O'Dowling Sea)
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Olive Hooper (8 O'Halloran)
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Aaliyah Da Silva (9 Kildare)
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Sabi Jordaan (10 O'Dowling)
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Ava Hams (7 O'Halloran River)
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Indi Hopkins (8 Moynihan)
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Jorja Donnan (9 O'Dowling)
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Olive Stegena (10 Columba)
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Jade Heggie (7 Kildare River)
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Madison Leong (8 Columba)
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Claire Dugouchet (9 O'Dowling)
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Indiana Tame (10 O'Halloran)
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Maeve Harrap (7 Columba River)
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Seren Panicker (8 Treacey)
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Mia Yoong (9 Kildare)
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Alyssa Codling (10 O'Halloran)
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Rosie Martens (7 Treacey River)
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Delilah Pritchard (8 O'Dowling)
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Asha Paatsch (9 O'Dowling)
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Letizia Soria Terrones (10 O'Dowling)
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Miyuko Sashiki (7 Moynihan Sea)
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Lua Rutstein (8 Moynihan)
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Patrice Maguire (9 Moynihan)
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Isabella Yuan (10 O'Halloran)
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We are proud to share that our students achieved notable success:
- Year 7: 3rd place in Art and Poetry
- Year 8: 1st place in Ideation; 3rd place Engineering
- Year 9: 1st place Engineering
More than rankings, though, what shone brightest over the two days was the students' curiosity, teamwork and joy in learning. Their passion reflected the true spirit of the Decathlon - a celebration of knowledge, creativity and the connections that form through shared intellectual challenge.
We offer our heartfelt congratulations to all participants for representing our College with such integrity, talent and good spirit.
A sincere thank you goes to Mrs Neesham, Mrs Buchanan, Miss Crellin, Mrs Shubert and Mrs Carbone for accompanying and supporting the students throughout the event.
As the theme of light reminded us, knowledge illuminates, inspires and connects, and our students left Winthrop Hall shining brightly indeed.