Burnett Heads State School is the first in Australia to hold the Amazing Shake competition and one teacher is on a mission to take it to the rest of the country.
The Amazing Shake is already a major worldwide competition originating in the United States.
Trevor Standfast, who coordinated the competition for the school, said it was an important lesson for students in the “soft skills” that are no longer taught at home.
“The Amazing Shake is about life skills and attitudes so students can be active and productive members of our community,” Mr Standfast said.
“It is a competition that places an emphasis on teaching students manners, discipline, respect and professional conduct.”
In the second year the school has participated in the competition, students in grades four, five and six participated in a range of knock-out challenges.
In the first round 70 students took part from grades four to six before year six student Ivy Montague was announced the overall winner of the string of challenges, closely followed by finalists Tahlia Hutchinson and Ronan Flintoff.
“Students learn the nuances of professional human interaction as they are taught skills such as how to give a proper handshake, how to ‘work a room’, how to give a successful interview and how to remain composed under pressure.
“The goal is to prepare our students so that they are able to present themselves exceptionally well for opportunities today as well as those that will come in the future.”
Interest growing for national Amazing Shake competition
Mr Standfast said he had already received positive feedback from the local business community.
“40 business people from Bundaberg volunteered their time and all of them have gone away and said this is something needed in the community.”
He said interest in hosting a national Amazing Shake competition was growing with Bargara State School interested in competing in a regional competition this year.
“In the future we’re looking at other schools joining,” he said.
“We’ve had interest form Western Australia and other parts of Queensland.
“We’ll host a regional one this year but next year it will be an Australian competition.
“Each school will run a separate competition to come up with their champions and then they’ll come to the national competition.
“We want to host it at the Multiplex in Bundaberg so people come to Bundaberg. It will be good for businesses and good for everyone.”
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