Odyssey leads students to state finals

The Odyssey of the Mind competition asks students to use creativity, thinking skills and teamwork to solve problems and come up with skits.

By JOEL POILEY
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 16, 2003

HUNTER'S GREEN -- Six Odyssey of the Mind teams representing schools in New Tampa placed first or second in a regional competition March 8 at the University of South Florida.

In doing so, the teams from Benito Middle School, Liberty Middle, Orange Grove Middle, Progress Village Middle and Tampa Palms Elementary advanced to the state finals at the University of Central Florida on April 26.

Thirty-nine teams from elementary, middle and high schools throughout Hillsborough and Polk counties competed in the competition.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition for elementary, middle and high school students. A New Jersey professor, Sam Micklus, created the problem-solving competition 31 years ago.

Students are graded by judges on their thinking abilities and teamwork in categories ranging from literature and art to technical performance, where teams make innovative contraptions and incorporate artistic elements into eight-minute skits.

Teams are also judged in a spontaneous competition, where they are given a problem to solve on the spot. It might involve a hands-on problem such as using rubber bands, stickers and Play-Doh to build a tower that supports weight. Or it could be a verbal problem, such as naming things that break other things. Coaches are parents or teacher volunteers.

Scores for the long-term skits and spontaneous portion are combined to determine the winning teams.

Elaine Knuckles' team from Liberty Middle School -- Ben Aghoian, Joshua Gonsalves, Kacy Grady, Charlie Knuckles, Anh Le, Priya Modi and Steven Warrington -- entered "Put a Spin On It," presenting their theories about why the stone statues of Easter Island were created.

The Tampa Palms Elementary team of Teresa McCarty also entered "Put a Spin On It," putting on a TV show in which they presented their reasons for the creation of the Terra Cotta Warriors from China. Team members were Erica Golden, Sean Gonzales, Keaton Grady, Meredith McCarty, Hayden McCarty, Anjali Modi and Andrew Stein.

The other Liberty Middle team entered "Fooled Ya," presenting a skit that included several illusions, including a two-headed character that sang and danced. Bonnie Walters was the coach, and team members were Carly Earnest, Alyssa Franks, D. A. Larson, Rachel Nelson, Steven Romeo, Emilee Smith and Kiersten Walters. Coach Shelina Baker and students Alyna Baker, David Bauer, Aisha Blake, Carrie Myers, Preston Morgan and Syd Schramm represented Benito Middle.

Coach Vicki Sokolik and students Matt Dickinson, Michael Hollowell, Megan Oliveri, Katie Park, Ryan Schurr, Cameron Sokolik and Joey Walters represented Orange Grove Middle.

Coach Stacy Johnson and students Katie Belisle, Tommy Bennett, Stephanie Dye, Ian Fredotovich, Janet Grandchamp, Courtney Russ and Chelsea Whitehead represented Progress Village Middle.

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