Iowa, baby!

AMES, IOWA — They did it. The two day, nearly 1,135 mile trip through six states was completed Tuesday afternoon when the white chartered bus carrying the five Monroe-Woodbury Odyssey of the Mind team members, coaches and chaperones pulled onto the campus of Iowa State University.

Initial estimates indicate the four first-place teams raised between $15,000 and $18,000 to make the trip possible, exceeding the additional $3,000 per team, or $12,000 total necessary to supplement the funds budgeted by the Monroe-Woodbury School District.

Likewise, the second-place Middle School team exceeded its goal of $8,000, or 100 percent of the funds necessary for it to participate.

“We are thrilled,” said Debra Garling, the district’s Gifted/Talented coordinator who oversees OM, from Ames on Wednesday morning as she spoke about the teams’ excitement to be on campus with OMers from around the world while she watched the fine art of pin trading begin. “Thank you, thank you to all our supporters. We will be sending thank yous to everyone.”

The last fund raiser, held last Sunday at Café Fiesta in Highland Mills, raised $1,500. Garling said all unused funds will be set aside for next year’s worlds competition.

Performance While this portion of their adventure is complete, the 35 students have now begun their final odyssey: Performances in front of judges who would be critiquing them against competitors from 25 countries.

The trip featured an overnight stay in Toledo and numerous stops at places like Pilot convenience marts and McDonalds with a U Haul truck carrying their props and driven by parent volunteers following the bus. The truck travels only one way, as a time honored OM tradition is to destroy all props in a special ceremony after the competition concludes.

The kids kept busy by watching movies, reading, maybe doing some homework and using their portable electronic devices in addition to “bus seat fort building” using blankets and sweatshirts, cell phone calls to parents and singing songs like “Don’t Stop Believing.”

Believing in themselves and their team’s ability is a must as today, all five teams are participating in the critical “spontaneous” portion of their competition.

Eight days, eight minutes On Wednesday evening, the teams participated in an Olympic-style opening ceremony, with Emma McInerney, Deaglan DiMurro, Sean McGee, Owen Chambers and Julia Auerfeld representing the Monroe-Woodbury and New York State delegations on the floor.

Yesterday, Team Doherty of North Main Elementary presented its “To Be or Not to Be” skit and Team McInerney of Monroe-Woodbury Middle School performed its “Weird Science” skit.

Tomorrow, Team Phillips of Central Valley Elementary will perform its version of “Weird Science” and Team Shirley of the middle school and Team Mazzola of Monroe-Woodbury High School, will perform their renditions of “To Be or Not to Be.”

Winners will be announced Saturday night.

Garling stressed that each team has already won by getting to Iowa, noting the determination of each team member to make this trip happen began last fall when teams were selected and work began to find creative solutions to their selected problems.

“I’ve told them to enjoy this,” she said. “This is an end of season culmination. Getting here is the prize. I’ve reminded them that for eight minutes, you’re ‘on’ (stage), but you’re here (in Iowa) for a week. Focus on the eight days, not the eight minutes.”

Editor’s note: Read a sample of some of the team blogs online at thephoto-news.com and watch for competition results in next week’s Photo News.

By Nancy Kriz