Richland One Teams Take Top Honors in State Odyssey of the Mind Competition

Richland One schools took first place in five of the 11 categories of the 2008 State Odyssey of the Mind competition, an international educational program that challenges students from kindergarten to college to solve problems using their creative skills and quick-thinking abilities.

Richland One congratulates the following winners of the March 15 state tournament who have won the privilege of representing our state at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at the University of Maryland on May 31-June 3:

First-place winners
Brockman Elementary School - Odyssey Road Rally, Division I
Lewis Greenview Elementary - The Wonderful Muses, Division I
W.G. Sanders Middle School - The Wonderful Muses, Division II
W.G. Sanders Middle School - Tee Structure, Division II
Lewis Greenview Elementary - The Eccentrics! Division I

Second-place winners
Lewis Greenview Elementary - Odyssey Road Rally, Division I
Brockman Elementary - The Eccentrics! Division I

In the state tournament, the teams competing in the Odyssey Road Rally division had to design, build and operate an original vehicle and then drive it in a road rally. Challengers in the Wonderful Muses division created and presented an original performance that includes one of the nine muses in Greek mythology. The problem for the Tee Structure group was to design and build a contraption using only balsa wood and glue and then test the structure by balancing golf balls on it. The Eccentrics! had to create and present a humorous performance about three misfits who solve a scientific problem.

In the Odyssey of the Mind competitions, teams must work together to solve problems like these and then present their solutions in local, state and world competitions. Thousands of teams from the United States and from 25 other countries participate in this program.

For more information please contact the Richland One Office of Communications at 231-7504 or 231-7510.