Odyssey of the Mind Teams Ready for State Contest

Ridgecrest and KIPP Courage Odyssey of the Mind teams will head to state finals. Ridgecrest’s teams include Yalitza Hernandez, Ariah Moreno, Jose Rodriguez, Makayla Daniels, Esmeralda Enriquez, Jonathan Ramos, Daniella Covarrubias, Arianna Flores, Stephanie Villarino, Nikolai Ross, Ashanti Juarez, Alan Mendez, Katherine Menchaca and Charlie Moreno. KIPP Courage’s team include Josue Iglesias, Brianna Rico, Audriana Ross, Leah Holewyne, Astrid Belloso, Kenya Cruz and Kaitlyn Menchaca.

Twenty-six Odyssey of the Mind campus teams will represent Spring Branch ISD at state next month after regional competition was held March 5 at a Houston ISD middle school.

At the regional contest, Ridgecrest Elementary’s “No Cycle Recycle” vehicle team earned a special Ranatra Fusca Award, reflecting the spirit of Odyssey of the Mind. This award was presented to the student team for great creativity in building of the vehicle called for in the competition problem.

State Odyssey of the Mind finals this year will be held April 16 at Spring Woods High School. SBISD’s campuses support 39 competitive Odyssey student teams.

The Odyssey of the Mind program, also called OM, is a creative problem-solving competition open to students of all grades. OM team members work together on a pre-defined, or Long-Term Problem, in their contests.

Teams must also solve a problem they haven’t seen before, or find a Spontaneous solution, in the competitive events, too.

SBISD state finalist teams and their problems solved included the following:

Problem 1 No Cycle Recycle
Ridgecrest Elementary, 1st place; Meadow Wood Elementary, 6th place; KIPP Courage at Landrum Middle School 2nd place, Cornerstone Academy 4th place, and Memorial High, 3rd place.
Problem synopsis:  Teams will build, ride on, and drive a no-cycle, recycling vehicle. It will pick up discarded items, adapt them in some way, and then deliver them to places to be re-used. The vehicle must travel without pedaling for propulsion. In addition, the driver will have an assistant worker riding on the vehicle that will help process the trash items being repurposed. They will make an unplanned stop along the way to perform a random act of kindness.

Meadow Wood Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team includes, top row, left to right, Addison Muehr, Sarah Schwartz, Redding Jankowski, Gillian Norwood; Bottom row, left to right, Lali Vega, Erin Sakalosky and Sophia Benner.

Problem 2 Something Fishy
Frostwood Elementary, 2nd place; Cornerstone Academy; 3rd place, Memorial Middle, 6th place; Spring Woods High, 1st place; Westchester Academy, 3rd place
Problem synopsis: Teams will design and operate a technical solution that simulates multiple styles of fishing. A Fisher Character will work from a designated area to "catch" three different objects that are outside of that area. The catch will be on the move and will include something expected, something unexpected, and a new discovery. The performance will also include a change of weather and a humorous character that portrays a potential catch and avoids being caught by the Fisher.

Pictured from left to right from Westchester Academy Odyssey of the Mind team: Paloma June, Isabella Boone, Stephan Haci, Arshi Ali, Zeke Coleman, Katie Coolidge and Jackie Nix. Coach Kim Coolidge is not pictured.

Problem 3 Aesop Gone Viral
Ridgecrest Elementary, 2nd place; Rummel Creek Elementary, 4th place; Cornerstone Academy, 2nd place; Stratford High, 1st place; Memorial High, 4th place
Problem synopsis: Teams will create and present an original performance about a fable gone "viral." The problem will include a list of fables attributed to Aesop. Teams will select one and portray it, and its moral, as going viral - that is, being shared throughout the community and beyond. The performance will be set in a past era and include a narrator character, an artistic representation of the fable's moral, and a character that makes a wrong conclusion about the moral and is corrected.


Problem 4 Stack Attack
Cornerstone Academy, 1st place; Spring Oaks Middle, 4th place; Memorial Middle, 6th place; Stratford High, 1st place; Memorial High, 2nd place
Problem synopsis: Requires teams to design, build, and test a structure, made only of balsa wood and glue, which will balance and support as much weight as possible -- twice. During weight-placement, teams can "Attack the Stack" where they will remove all of the weights except for the bottom one and the crusher board. Teams will also receive score for removing weights! After Attacking the Stack, the weight placement process can be repeated to add to the total weight held. Teams will incorporate weight-placement, repetition, and Attacking a Stack into the theme of the performance.

Problem 5 Stack Attack Furs, Fins, Feathers & Friends
Valley Oaks Elementary,1st place; Meadow Wood Elementary, 3rd place; Wilchester Elementary, 4th place; Memorial Middle, 2nd place; Spring Oaks Middle, 5th place; and Westchester Academy, 1st place
Problem synopsis: The team's problem is to create and present a humorous performance depicting problem solving from the perspective of three different animals. The animals will help a stranger, help each other, and solve a problem that threatens the survival of all animals. During the performance, the animals will sing and dance. They will also show curiosity, sympathy, frustration, and joy.

Cedar Brook Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team includes, front row, Zoe Ellingson and Conner MacLeod; back row, Daphne Sadler, Alicia Schmidt, Juliana Sanchez, Jesus Silva, Blake Wilson and team Coach Amy Ellingson.