release date: March 2, 2011
Contact: Mindy Iannotti, Program
Manager for Special Student Services, 464-3987 (work), 744-6982
(cell)
Amy Brennan-Strack, Tournament Coordinator, 464-3986 (work),
796-5236 (cell)
A record more than 650 students comprising 94 teams from Albany, Schoharie, Schenectady and Saratoga counties will compete in Capital Region BOCES Region 7 Odyssey of the Mind Tournament on Saturday, March 5 at Shenendehowa High School East, Clifton Park. The day-long competition challenges students from kindergarten through high school to come up with creative, original and imaginative solutions to open-ended problems.
The Shenendehowa High School campus will be “teaming” with creative kids who are hoping to win this first step in many to ultimately represent Region 7 at the Odyssey of the Mind 2011 World Finals. The students competing Saturday hail from 14 local school districts: Bethlehem, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Cobleskill-Richmondville, Cohoes, Duanesburg, Middleburgh, Mohonasen, Schenectady, Schoharie, Scotia-Glenville, Sharon Springs, Shenendehowa, Voorheesville and Watervliet. This is the largest participation in the Region 7 competition in more than 20 years.
“These students have dedicated months to devising solutions to one of five problems posed by Odyssey of the Mind,” said Capital Region BOCES Program Manager for Special Student Services Mindy Iannotti. “Not only do they have to solve the problem, but they also have to be the most creative, take risks in their solutions and work as a team.”
The problem topics
Students will also incorporate their own skills and interests into the solutions. This could mean singing, playing instruments, skating or gymnastics — anything they want as long as it aids in solving one of these five problems:
#1
– Extreme Mousemobiles: Teams will design, build and run vehicles
that use mousetraps as their only source of energy.
#2
– As Good as Gold…berg: Teams will present an uncomplicated existing
item that is used in a simple and effective way to complete a real
life task.
#3
– Le Tour Guide: Teams will create and present an original
performance in which a classical character acts as a Tour Guide.
#4
– Unhinged Structure: Teams must design and build a structure using
only balsa wood and glue that folds into itself without coming
apart.
#5
– Full Circle: Teams will create and present a humorous performance
in which something changes form or appearance at least three times
and eventually undergoes a final change, through which it returns to
its original form and appearance.
Primary
(for grades K-2 only) Money Maker: Teams will create and present a
humorous performance about a character that tries to make money from
wild ideas.
Iannotti added, “Students have spent months of their free time solving these problems as well as developing teamwork skills, independent study, friendships, confidence, all of the vital 21st Century Learning Skills that are so relevant in education today! They learn new things and use their strengths to solve the problem. Teams also learn how to budget money since there is a cost limit to each problem. This means you will see creative costumes, props, dances, gymnastics, instruments and much more.”
Not only do the teams have to excel in their problem, they must also perform well in a “spontaneous problem,” where they solve a problem on the spot.
The tournament starts at 8 a.m. and continues throughout the day. The Awards Ceremony begins at about 4:30 p.m. Region 7 winners will go on to the New York State competition at Binghamton University, and if they win there, to World Finals at the University of Maryland.
Capital Region BOCES welcomes spectators to attend the competition and join the rest of the supporters of Odyssey of the Mind: parents, coaches, judges, teachers and students. They all work together with the common goal of giving kids a chance to express their creativity, support the arts, and to learn new things in a fun environment.
For more information visit www.capitalregionboces.org/arts/OdysseyMind.cfm or www.odysseyofthemind.com.
