(H) OMers' Odyssey - Vol 1

Take a peek at what life is like for participants in Odyssey of the Mind. We will be posting updates and reports from several Odyssey teams from New York throughout the season: preparing, competing and just having fun!

Warwick Valley - Div 2

Our Odyssey of the Mind season is off to a fiery start, just like our favorite snack, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos! This month has been full of creativity, teamwork, and a new team tradition we’re excited about.

Meet Omer the Roamer, our team’s version of “Elf on the Shelf.” Omer shows up in a different spot every meeting and keeps things fun while we brainstorm ideas, build our solution, and laugh together during practice.

As we work on our problem, we’ve also set some goals for the season. Some of us are trying to speak up more during spontaneous problems, others are learning how to use new tools in the workshop, and all of us are working on becoming a stronger team as we get to know each other better. These skills will help us at competition and also help us feel more confident working together.

This month, we officially started building the solution we designed as a team. It’s been exciting to see everyone share ideas and help each other out. Some teammates who were quieter at first are starting to speak up more, and it’s made our teamwork even better.

This is just the beginning, but our team is already having a lot of fun and is excited for what’s ahead!

Bethlehem CSD - Div 3

A video greeting from Rayne, Nex, Erics, Stephanie, Nicholas, Jeremy & Bridger. All seniors except for one.

Hoosic Valley – Div 1

During the month of December a brand-new team was formed to represent Hoosic Valley Elementary in the Division I, Region 4 OOTM competition.

It happened when a group of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders walked with their families into an information session on a Saturday morning.  Jacob, Brody, Dominic, Violet, Maela and Charlie had all heard about Odyssey, but none had ever participated or even watched an Odyssey performance.  However, a brief presentation, and a few hands-on and verbal spontaneous problem examples - they were all hooked!  Before the end of the session, they had already unanimously agreed on what Long-Term problem they would like to do.

All the families were equally excited and set the date for their first official OOTM team meeting.  During this first meeting, this eager group jumped immediately into sharing ideas and got right into setting up their story!  They continued brainstorming while breaking for a snack, then began to even walk through a potential sequence for a performance.  There was so much laughter, silliness and excitement in the room! This group is sure to make the most of their time together and have begun to form friendships that will likely last a lifetime!

Saratoga Independent School – Primary

Our first weeks of togetherness have been spent connecting, collaborating, and building team spirit!  Puzzles, pictures, marshmallow structures and lots of laughs!

East Main Elementary School - Odyssey Angels

Let me start by introducing our team. We are a division 1 team from Port Jervis, NY. We are made up of three 4th graders and four 3rd graders. Our team members are Aubrey, Jaggar, Andrew, Michael, Sofia, Lincoln, and Sadie. The team is off to a great start, and they have already started brainstorming fun and creative ways to help their community. They have decided they would like to help the furry friends in our community this year. The team has decided to help the animals in our local animal shelter.

They plan to reach out to the shelter and talk with them about things they could use and then gather items that the animals need. The team also knows that along with things the animals need attention too. So the team members want to arrange times to visit the animals and help walk or play with them as well. Also, the team had the great idea of using their crafting skills that they learn in OM to make toys for the animals as well that will help them find joy, encourage play, and help keep their minds stimulated in the shelter while they wait for their future homes. We can't wait to see the results of their hard work!