News: 8 Loudoun Teams to Compete at World 'Odyssey of the Mind' Tournament

(April 23, 2012) - Students from Loudoun County Public Schools made an extraordinary showing at the Odyssey of the Mind Virginia State Finals on April 14 at Menchville High School in Newport News. Eight teams from Loudoun County will advance to World Finals May 23-27 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

J. Michael Lunsford Middle School team is headed to
the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Iowa.

The trip to the World competition does not come cheap -- the J. Michael Lunsford Middle School team estimates that it will take $15,000 for the students to make the trip. They are seeking sponsors for the trip. Learn more on their Facebook page.

The teams representing Loudoun County’s Regions 14 and 16 are:

Ooh-Motional Vehicle Problem
*Seldens Landing Elementary School Team A
*Harmony Middle School
*Heritage High School

Weird Science Problem
*Dominion High School

To Be or Not To Be Problem
*J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Team B

You Make the Call Problem
* Horizon Elementary School Team A
*Seneca Ridge Middle School

Odyssey Angels Problem 
* J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Team B

Additionally, placing third in the Virginia State Tournament were Buffalo Trail Elementary School Team A in Weird Science and Dominion High School in You Make the Call.

The 29 teams representing Loudoun County at State Finals bested 244 teams in Loudoun County’s Region 14 and Region 16 Odyssey of the Mind tournaments in March. They competed against 118 teams in the State Finals of this problem-solving competition for the right to represent Virginia at the World Finals in May.

Teams from nearly every state and more than 30 foreign countries will compete at World Finals.

Odyssey of the Mind has grown to involve more than 1,600 Loudoun County students each year. Creativity, spontaneous and imaginative thinking and teamwork are the hallmarks of Odyssey of the Mind problem-solving. Each team selects a problem in the vehicle, structure, technical, classics, or theatrical performance category and works on their chosen problem throughout the school year.

For more information on Odyssey of the Mind, go to http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/whatis.php.