Four MW teams advance to state Odyssey of the Mind competition

By Nancy Kriz
CENTRAL VALLEY — Four Monroe-Woodbury Odyssey of the Mind teams are advancing to state competition following first-place wins in their respective divisions at last weekend's regional Odyssey of the Mind competition held at Orange/Ulster BOCES in Goshen.

The four Odyssey of the Mind, or OM, teams were part of a nine-team contingent of 63 students representing the high school, middle school and Central Valley, North Main and Pine Tree elementary schools.

'Knowing failure is an option'And as part of that group, for the first time in the district's 36 year OM history, one high school team ambitiously tackled two different problems, capturing first place for "Runaway Train" and fifth place for "Pandora's Box."

"OM captures the public's attention because it demonstrates that children can sometimes be better 'brainstormers,' inventors, collaborators and creative thinkers than most adults," said Debra Garling, the district's gifted/talented program and OM coordinator. "Perhaps the greatest lesson OM teaches is that the outside world could benefit from knowing is that failure is an option. As a matter of fact, failure is a preferred learning tool in the creative world. Through failed attempts comes a deeper understanding of what it might take to succeed. When students are given such vague problems to address, they are forced to think in radically different ways and attempt feats previously unexamined."

WinningThe first-place teams include two teams from the high school, one from the middle school and one from Central Valley Elementary.

Earning a perfect 350 score was one of the high school teams for its response to "Runaway Train."

The second high school team earned 339.34 points for its response to "Experiencing Technical Difficulties."

The middle school team earned 333.94 points for its response to "Experiencing Technical Difficulties."

The Central Valley Elementary team earned a near perfect 349.63 score for its response to "Pandora's Box."

Next: April 11 in BinghamtonTeams began their work last Fall.

"The amount of time invested by our OMers is hard to quantify," said Garling. "As the season begins, most teams get together a few times a week to begin to attack the problem. As the months progress, closer to competition, teams increase meeting times. By the week or two before regionals, most Division II and III teams meet every day. However, a great deal of mental energy is utilized away from practice when the OMers imagine, design and create costumes, props, sets, scripts, dances and then bring what they've worked on to the group for review, consensus and possible inclusion."

OM, Garling felt, is the ultimate venue to learn, develop, hone and demonstrate 21st Century critical and creative thinking skills.

"In addition, the whole program is, in and of itself, a STEM-based learning program," she added. "Students immerse themselves in real world research and development teams where the subjects of science and mathematics are utilized through engineering and technological means. And, the arts is included because teams design their own sets, compose original music, choreograph dances and write scripts."

Now, teams take their regional score results and determine where enhancements to their presentations may need to be made in preparation for state competition, which takes place April 11 at SUNY Binghamton.