At a time where concerns and anxiety have increased regarding testing in schools, students from 36 schools in Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties are participating in a different approach to learning through problem solving and creativity.
At the Region 4 Odyssey of the Mind Tournament held Saturday, March 8, at Rensselaer City School District, students were judged on their creative musical and theatrical demonstrations to real-life situations as well as their ability to come up with creative, on-the-spot solutions during the “spontaneous” competition.
Annually coordinated by Questar III BOCES, this year’s regional program consisted of 91 teams from Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene Counties – the largest competition the region has ever seen.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students of all ages. It encourages students to use their imaginations and to work in teams, skills that will be useful throughout their lives.
According to Odyssey of the Mind Regional Director Arlene Sampson, student teams rehearsed their problem solving skit for months in preparation for Saturday’s event.
“Odyssey of the Mind allows students to tap into their creativity and harness real-world problem solving skills for friendly competition,” said Sampson. “Students are also learning the importance of team work and perseverance, and have fun while doing it!”
The following teams will advance to the statewide competition on April 12 at Binghamton University:
Problem 1: Driver’s Test
Teams had to design, build and drive a vehicle that will travel a course where a student driver attempts to complete tasks in order to pass a driver’s test. The teams created themes for their presentations that incorporated the vehicle, a driver’s test, a student and a talking GPS.
- Tamarac Elementary School – Division I
- Algonquin Middle School – Division II
- Troy High School – Division III
Problem 2: The Not-So-Haunted House
The team’s problem is to create and present an original performance that includes a pop-up style not-so-haunted “house” where four special effects take place.
- Green Meadow Elementary School – Division I
- Howard L. Goff Middle School – Division II
- Troy High School – Division III
Problem 3: It’s How We Rule
In this Classics problem, teams will re-create a King’s Court from history and make their own Royal Court set in an original kingdom at a different time and place.
- Coxsackie-Athens Middle School – Division I
- Ichabod Crane Middle School – Division II
- Lansingburgh High School – Division III
Problem 4: The Stackable Structure
Teams will design and build a structure made up of separate components – including balsa wood and glue – stacked on top of one another. The separate components will be integrated into an artistic representation of the Earth. Sponsored by NASA.
- Coxsackie-Athens Middle School – Division I
- Algonquin Middle School – Division II
- Tech Valley High School – Division III
Problem 5: Seeing is Believing
In this problem teams create and present an original performance about a community that feels threatened by something in a location it has never vested.
- Miller Hill/Sand Lake Elementary School – Division I
- Tamarac Secondary School – Division II
- Coxsackie-Athens Middle School – Division II
- Catskill High School – Division III
Participating schools districts and schools include: Averill Park CSD; Brunswick (Brittonkill) CSD; Catskill CSD; Coxsackie-Athens CSD; East Greenbush CSD; Hoosic Valley CSD; Ichabod Crane CSD; Lansingburgh CSD; Rensselaer CSD; Taconic Hills CSD; Troy CSD; Wynantskill UFSD; as well as Germantown After School Program, Hudson Valley Consortium, Tech Valley High School® and St. Mary’s Academy of Hoosick Falls.
