After more than four months of work, four Canajoharie Odyssey of the Mind teams competed in the Region 21 tournament at Fonda-Fultonville Central School on Saturday, March 9, 2019.
“The regional tournament is always an exciting day,” commented Doris Leverett, the Canajoharie Odyssey of the Mind coordinator. “Three of the four teams brought home third place trophies.”
Odyssey of the Mind is a creative competition requiring teamwork. Teams consist of five to seven students in three age divisions: elementary, middle and high school. The rules for solving each problem are the same for all teams competing around the world.
East Hill’s teams competed in Problem 3 “Leonardo’s Workshop” and in Problem 5 “Opposites Distract.” Laila Al Rababah, Gia Fatta, Avery Fichthorn, Christopher Frederick, Viktorya Knapp, and Eva Compton imagined how Leonardo DaVinci’s workshop would have inspired many artistic creations. The team recreated a painting, a three-dimensional work, and a third work in the art form of their choice along with an invention that was discarded in DaVinci’s time but is commonly used today. Their coach was Liz Hancock. Jayde Bowerman, Lila Clark, Bella Crowe, Quinlan Forrest, Alec France, Thomas Kee, and Connor Mueller coached by Jasmine Crowe created their eight-minute skit to show two groups having three arguments. These first-year OMers set their skit on a distant planet with two-eyed aliens fighting three-eyed aliens. They placed fourth at the tournament.
The Canajoharie Middle School teams competed in Problem 1 “Omer to the Rescue Again,” and Problem 5 “Opposites Distract.” Rebecka Angus, Jayden Green, Alex Gyurik, Jadalyn Lopez, Rebecca Mania, and Haley Smith built a vehicle for a team member to ride on. Omer, the OM mascot, and a sidekick traveled to three locations to make rescues. The vehicle had to be disassembled and carried in two suitcases during their 8-minute skit. Ellen Bleja and Lori Mania coached the team. Payton Cail, Dina Daley, Ava Fatta, Parker Forrest, and Mikki Stahler imagined the conflicts that arise in families. It was parents against kids in their interpretation of Opposites Distract. Sherry Hewitt was their coach.
On tournament day, the teams are judged for their creative solutions to the long term problem, the artistic style of four selected elements, and the spontaneous solution to a problem presented with only minutes to think and respond.
“We are proud of all the Odyssey of the Mind team members,” said Leverett. “Some are already thinking about what they’ll do next October when we start up again. Now that’s dedication.”