THREE TRUMBULL ODYSSEY TEAMS
OFF TO WORLD FINALS

On Saturday March 24, 2007, four Odyssey of the Mind Teams from Trumbull competed in the State Tournament at Southern Connecticut State University. Three of the teams qualified to compete in the World Finals at Michigan State University, May 23 -27.

Hillcrest Middle School will send two teams to the World Finals. The first, comprised of Ellen Carpenter, Jeremy Eckl, Owen Osborne, students at Hillcrest, and Madeleine Collins, Brooke Hayden, Jessica Remson and Liam Robinson, students at Booth Hill, placed first in the Finals for Division I, Problem 3, Around the World in Eight Minutes.

This team will be making its second trip to the World Finals. The other Hillcrest team comprised of Kevin Kim, Tyler Bieling, Anarug Chinepalli, Connor McCann, Jack Rafferty and Trey Remson, placed first in Division II, Problem 4, Out of the Box Balsa.

Booth Hill Elementary School will send one of its two first year teams to the World Finals. The qualifying team, comprised of Jacob Buttiker, Avery Collins, Matthew Freed, Michael Zabin, Elizabeth Carpenter, Kaleigh Bieling and Rowan Robinson, placed second in Division I, Problem 2, The Large and Small of It. The other Booth Hill team, comprised of Gabriela Buttress, Brent Kaiserman, Alexandra Sosa, Felix Seip, Benjamin Vu, Owen Bonaventura and Sarah Thirkield, placed eighth in its Semifinal for Division I, Problem 3, Around the World in Eight Minutes.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international problem solving competition, designed to stimulate and promote children’s natural creativity. Participants are encouraged to seek creative and varied solutions - to think outside the box. The program has two components. Each team selects one of five long term problems and works from October - March to create a solution. Odyssey requires that team members solve all aspects of the problem entirely on their own without outside assistance. The role of the coach is to help the team develop problem solving strategies and skills and to expose the team to methods and materials. At the competition, the team presents its solution and is evaluated according to specific problem criteria.

Following the presentation, the judges question the team members about their solution. The second part of the competition evaluates the team’s spontaneous problem solving skills. Throughout the year the team practices solving various types of short term problems that require either individual verbal responses, a coordinated group response, the building of a structure or the accomplishment of a task.

At the competition, the team is asked by the judges to solve one of these types of problems within a specific time frame. The team’s score on their long term solution is combined with its spontaneous score to determine which teams will advance to the World Finals. Only the top two teams in each division for each problem are invited to represent Connecticut at the World Finals. More than 800 teams from the United States and around the world are expected to compete this year in Michigan.

Ralph Iassogna, Superintendant of Schools states, “I am extremely proud of our district’s and the Odyssey of the Mind Teams’ success in the recent State tournament. It is quite a distinction to have three local teams – two from Hillcrest Middle School and one from Booth Hill Elementary School - reach the world finals that will be held at Michigan State at the end of May. I congratulate all participants and their coaches for this unique recognition. We wish them the very best in this international competition!” Booth Hill has participated in the Odyssey program for the past four years and sent its first team to the World Finals held in Iowa, last Spring. Booth Hill’s Principal, Gary Kunschaft, is a long time supporter of Odyssey. "The Odyssey of the Mind program allows our students to shine by utilizing their academic and social skills in a problem solving format. It gives them a chance to experience teamwork in its purest form, much like the workplace they will encounter in the future. We are very proud of their efforts and hope more children will take advantage of this wonderful learning opportunity."

The Odyssey of the Mind program is not new to Hillcrest. “Over the past ten years, we have hosted several Odyssey teams and have had participation at the World Final’s level,” reports Rosemary Seaman, Principal of Hillcrest. “Our parent advisors have worked unselfishly with our young people. We are thankful for what they have done and continue to do. This years’ teams have been outstanding. We are very proud of their accomplishments and wish them the very best at the World Finals.”

For more information about Odyssey of the Mind, visit odysseyofthemind.com and CTOM.org. The three World Finalist Teams will be raising funds to help send them to Michigan. Contributions payable to Hillcrest Middle School PTA, re: Odyssey of the Mind, may be sent to Hillcrest Middle School, 530 Daniels Farm Rd.

Hillcrest's World Finals Balsa Team: front row: Jack Rafferty, 6th gr., back row, left to right, Kevin Kim, 8th gr., Tyler Bieling, 7th gr., Trey Remson, 6th gr., Anarug Chinepalli, 7th gr., Connor McCann, 6th gr.

Hillcrest's World Finals Around the World Team: left to right, Brooke Hayden, Liam Robinson, Jessica Remson, Madeleine Collins, 5th graders at Booth Hill, Ellen Carpenter, Owen Osborne, Jeremy Eckl, 6th graders at Hillcrest.

Booth Hill's World Finals The Large and Small of It Team: Rowan Robinson, 3rd gr., Avery Collins, Michael Zabin, Jacob Buttiker, Matthew Freed, 4th gr., Kaleigh Bieling, Elizabeth Carpenter, 3rd gr.

Booth Hill's Around the World Team: Left to right, Sarah Thirkield, 3rd gr., Alexandra Sosa, 5th gr., Gabriela Buttress, 5th gr., Felix Seip, 4th gr., Brent Kaiserman, 5th gr., Benjamin Vu, 4th gr., Owen Bonaventura, 3rd gr.