After months of working hard to perfect solutions, three student teams from Averill Park, Brunswick and Wynantskill competed in the 32nd annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals May 27-30 at the University of Maryland.
The team from West Sand Lake Elementary School, comprised of students in third through fifth grade, placed seventh out of 42 teams in Division I of the Unhinged Structure problem. The team, which finished first in the state competition, advanced to the world finals by building a hinged balsa wood structure that held more than 996 pounds at the same time they presented a circus-themed eight minute skit.
The team from Tamarac Elementary School, which included students in third through fifth grade, finished eighth out of 36 teams in Division I of the As Good as Gold…berg problem. The team, which finished second in the state competition, invented a complicated solution to a simple task with a marketing plan/sales pitch.
The team from Gardner Dickinson School finished 23rd out of 39 teams in Division II of the Full Circle problem. The team, which tied for second place in the state competition held in Binghamton, presented a humorous skit featuring props and characters that underwent multiple changes punctuated by song, dance and a surprise ending.
The Odyssey of the Mind World Finals featured 856 teams and more than 14,000 participants from 14 different countries and 34 states.
The three local teams were among 14 teams from Region Four (Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties) that advanced to the state competition from the local event sponsored by Questar III in March.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international problem solving competition for students in grades K-12. Students are judged on their ability to use creativity and teamwork to solve a pre-selected problem.
A full list of winning teams can be found at www.odysseyofthemind.com/wf2011.
