Odyssey of the Mind teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problemsolvers. Students are challenged with problems that requiring original solutions, and then develop the teamwork, skills, and confidence to solve those problems.
Seven students from Narcoossee Middle School, two seventh graders and five eighth graders, are on their way to compete in an international OM competition next month after a strong third place showing overall in the state completion last month. The Narcoossee team placed first in the Spontaneous Problem category and third in the Long Problem category among the 18 teams that competed at the Orange County Convention Center.
The problems covered a wide variety of needed skills-building, writing and even performance. One example of a problem is to design and build a structure made of only balsa wood and glue, if desired, that holds as much weight as possible after it is used to trap a moving object.
Jessica (eighth grader) and Christian Tapia (seventh), a brother and sister team duo, feel the program is an amazing outlet for them to bring their ideas and creativity to life in the form of art. They said they love that they get to express themselves and feel heard. They are so happy they get to experience this together and have learn great skills, created lasting memories, developed friendships and are so excited to represent their school, county, and state in the world competition.
Joel Dominguez, who has been in the program for five years, wrote, ”Odyssey has allowed me to work with amazing people and be as creative as I’d like.”
Stephanie McKeown, a teacher at the middle school who coaches the OM team, along with two co-coaches, said, “OM is a blend or science and tech with the arts.”
Coaches are not allowed to communicate any ideas or suggestions during the competitions, but can ask questions, spurring thought among the students.
“Everything is on the kids,” McKeown said.
Delilah Rodriguez, mother of team member Dominik Rodriguez says that the OM program has helped her son, “think outside the box and not be afraid to express himself individually.”
Team member Mia Louis is both on the Odyssey of the Mind team and on a robotics team that is also competing at a high level.
The team will now need to raise money to travel to the world competition at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa May 25-28. The team is about $12,000 short of their goal as of this writing. Donations can be made at https://bit. ly/3DNIPdw.
The Odyssey of the Mind is a not-for profit organization is dedicated to inspiring creativity in the classroom. OM started 40 years ago and relies on its network of volunteers, or OMers, to bring the program to schools across the country.
The program covers all age groups, from kindergarten right up to collegiate teams. There is a non-competitive K-2 division, and then four age-defined divisions.
