A personal reflection of Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

The Odyssey of the Mind world finals competition was held over Memorial Day Weekend at the University of Maryland. Congratulations to all those in our local schools who participated. Our daughter, Katie had the honor of being part of a champion team with Monroe-Woodbury High School under the wonderful coaching of Joann Mazzola and her daughters, Jess and Jill Mazzola. This team finished ninth in their division of 53 teams, a very fine and respectable outcome, of which they all can be very proud, as their performance was exceptional. But what impressed us even more was somewhat more personal. Our daughter sustained an injury one week before finals, leaving her on crutches and unable to participate in the way the performance was to unfold. This team never looked back, only forward. With their creative genius and more importantly, their sense of teamwork and consideration for one another, they modified their performance so our daughter could participate from her temporary mode of mobility, her wheelchair. Her teammates assisted and helped her all the days over the competition; there was never a doubt that they were all in this together. Therefore, to David Sierra, Matt Taguer, Bradley Morton, Jesse Meshulam, Saharsh Hajela, and Nuo Min Huang, we thank you. You are not only top winners of Odyssey of the Mind, you are champions of the heart. Tom and Bernadette Bompensiero Highland Mills