MANDATA - Three teams from Line Mountain School District participated in the North Central Regional Odyssey of the Mind Competition held at Berwick Area High School on March 16.
An elementary team competed in Division I, problem 5, "It's How You Look at It." Students had to create an original skit in which a character does an action that seems odd in one scene and then normal in the next. They also had to create a meter that indicates the degree of odd and normal behavior, and have a creative scene change. Team members included Dillon Bohner, Kayla Bohner, Collin Deppen, Cadence Hepworth, Teagan Hepworth, Sage Hoover and Phil Phillips. Their coaches are Erin Hepworth and Sid Phillips. This elementary team placed second out of seven teams and is advancing to the state competition at Pocono Mountain East High School on April 13.
Competing in Division II was a middle school team that also did problem 5. This team placed fifth out of 16 teams. The members of this team are Nicole Adams, Breanna Ebright, Ashley Lambert, Autumn Bohner, Mia Kissinger, Megan Finlan and Andrew Rissinger. They were coached by Larry Fisher.
In Division III was a high school team that competed in "Tumblewood," problem 4. This problem involved building a 15 gram structure out of balsa wood that must travel down a team created ramp, fall 6 inches, tumble 18 inches, and then be transported without being touched, to the crusher board. The team had to perform a skit about an original commercial that incorporated the crushing of their structure. The team's structure held 390 pounds and they placed 2nd out of 5 teams. They will also be advancing to the state competition at Pocono Mountain East High School on April 13. Team members are: Dylan Brosius, Dillon London, Falconer Walshaw-Wertz , Courtney Bonawitz, Skyler Hoover and Meadow Walshaw-Wertz. The team was coached by Theresa York.
Odyssey of the Mind (OotM) is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Students apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state and world level. Thousands of teams from the U.S. and 25 other countries participate in the program.
Teams devoted countless hours into brainstorming, problem solving, writing a skit and creating original costumes and props.
