From November, 19-23, the Year 11 class from the Central West Leadership Academy (CWLA) travelled down to Canberra on an excursion. They participated in many fun activities such as axe-throwing, the Group 4 Project, and working in the Australian National University (ANU) laboratory.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program is a globally recognised program run in 160 different countries. Students are taught important skills such as inquiry and collaboration throughout a variety of different projects, such as the Group 4 project. 

The Group 4 Project is a part of the IB program that teaches students that scientists collaborate with a wide variety of fields of expertise. Students from Merici College in Canberra and CWLA were divided into groups based upon which courses they were taking, allowing for a well-mixed combination of physicists, chemists, biologists and exercise scientists. The groups were given a scenario where they had to ideate a solution about treating and transporting the water of Lake Burley Griffin, a large artificial lake in the heart of Canberra. 

The class also participated in the synthesis of aspirin and paracetamol, working in the ANU laboratory with professors and graduates.