Vicky Klukkert: On the Bright Side: Area schools to compete at state Odyssey of the Mind tournament

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
Updated ·3 min read

Apr. 14—Several local schools will participate in the state Odyssey of the Mind tournament at the state fairgrounds and Solvay High School near Syracuse Saturday, April 15.

Odyssey of the Mind teams are each tasked with solving a pre-defined problem of their choosing. The teams are broken up into three divisions, with elementary schools in division one, middle schools in division two and high schools in division three. During competition, the teams are also tasked with solving a spontaneous problem. People can watch teams compete in the long-term problem, but not the spontaneous problem, which is held at Solvay High School, on Saturday.

Local teams will compete in the following categories: Pirates and the Treasure, Because iCan, Classics ... The Walls of Troy and The Most Dramatic Problem Ever!!!

According to the national Odyssey of the Mind website, students competing in the Pirates and the Treasure category will become pirates and sail their ship to reclaim stolen treasure and return it to the queen. On their quest, they will battle a sea monster that guards the treasure. The performance must also include a pirate captain, flag and song.

The Cobleskill-Richmondville High School team will be the first team competing in the pirate category. The team will compete at 8 a.m. in the Dairy and Cattle building.

Sherburne Earlville Middle School is the only area team competing in the Because iCan category. Students will compete at Solvay High School at 1:06 p.m. According to the Odyssey website, the team had to create a device that will raise a flag and ring a bell. Once the device starts, it will complete the series of tasks without team assistance. Team members will have to act out a laboratory setting and include an inventor character and a costume that changes its appearance.

Five schools will compete in the Classics ... The Walls of Troy problem. In that problem, students have to create their own "Trojan Horse" and get past a wall in a performance that also includes a character from "The Iliad," an original Greek chorus and an unusual statue, the website said.

The long-term competition will take place in the Art & Home building on the fairgrounds. Sherburne Earlville Elementary School will compete at 9:12 a.m., Cobleskill-Richmondville Elementary School will compete at 3:48 p.m., Sherburne Earlville Middle School will compete at 9:12 a.m., Cobleskill-Richmondville High School will compete at 9:12 a.m. and Middleburgh High School will compete at 10:06 a.m.

Eight local teams will compete in The Most Dramatic Problem Ever!!! problem in the Horticulture building. In that problem, students create a humorous performance about a character overreacting to common events, the website said. The performance must showcase different theatrical styles as the character overreacts, however, in one situation the reaction is justified. The performance also includes something that grows and a costume that represents two characters.

Greenlawn Elementary School will compete at 10:42 a.m., Oxford Academy Middle School will compete at 8:18 a.m., Sherburne Earlville Middle School will compete at 10:42 a.m., Golding Middle School will compete at 12:12 p.m., Sherburne Earlville High School Team A will compete at 11:18 a.m., Greene High School will compete at 12:30 p.m., Sherburne Earlville High School Team B will compete at 1:06 p.m. and Cobleskill-Richmondville High School will compete at 1:42 p.m.

The top three teams in each category will advance to the world competition that will take place May 24-27 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.