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'What is Odyssey of the Mind?' Info Meetings
If you have questions about our program and would like to talk to a coach, please attend one of our "What is Odyssey of the Mind?" Information Meetings (details are posted on our calendar page). Parents, students and siblings are welcome to attend.
The purpose of these meetings are to familiarize you with the Odyssey program so that you can decide if your child(ren) should participate. We'll cover the team assignment process, activities involved, roles for parents, calendar of events, tournament descriptions, registration fees, and why teammates (and coaches!) return year after year!
What exactly do children do in OotM?
Working in teams of no more than 7 members, OMers have 2 tasks to prepare:
- Long Term Problem
The team selects one of five pre-defined problems and must create an 8-minute performance that creatively "solves" it. The problem specifics change each year, but the broad problem categories remain the same. Problems types are: 1) vehicle, 2) technical, 3) classical, 4) structure (balsa), and 5) performance. (Note - primary teams involving students in grades K-2 are given a special age appropriate problem.) During the solution process, teams spend their time brainstorming ideas and write their own script, build gadgets, make props, design costumes, etc. Each problem has it's own specific set of goals to reach, but it is up to the team to choose how they get there. That is why no two solutions are the same. - Spontaneous
At competition, the team is given a verbal or hands-on problem to solve, which they do not know in advance. It's an open-ended question or task and gives the kids a chance to show their creativity, teamwork, and ability to think on their feet. Teams practice spontaneous problems throughout the year to help develop their spontaneous thinking skills. Each spontaneous problem has it's own time limit - usually ranging from 3 to 10 minutes. The problem may require teams to improvise a skit, to build a sculpture, to transfer an egg 10 feet without touching it, or to give as many creative answers to a question as possible. Teams never know what they will be asked to do during competition, so they practice as many types of problems as they can throughout the season.
USC diviisonal teams (grades 3-12) compete at the regional level in March at Moon Township. Advancing first or second place teams compete at the PA state level in April, in Williamsport, PA. Top teams at the state level advance to the world level competition in May. (primary teams perform only at the regional level)
Why Join A Team?
Odyssey of the Mind is an opportunity to learn
Joining an Odyssey of the Mind team provides you with the opportunity
to learn creative problem solving, teamwork, brainstorming,
self-reliance, and respect for individual strengths -- unique,
unforgettable experiences that will serve you now and in the future.
Odyssey of the Mind is different:
Odyssey of the Mind is different than other team, club or sports
activities you might have been involved in. Odyssey of the Mind is
about your team solving a problem or creating presentation with your
own ideas. Although you have a coach to support and advise you, all the
ideas and the work on the solution, comes from the team members. One of
the most important parts of our program is that nobody outside the team
(not even your parents, friends, or teachers) can contribute ideas or
participate in designing or constructing the solution. Odyssey of the
Mind is a different experience than classroom education. In our
programs you learn by doing, learn by thinking of and creating your own
solution, learn to work with, create ideas, build your solution and
presentation with others.
Odyssey of the Mind is fun!
Seeing your solution come together is exciting. Brainstorming and
evaluating a variety of ideas is stimulating. It is fun to meet the
other teams and see their solutions and presentations for your problem
and other problems. In addition to the long term problem, at the
competition, your team will be presented with a Spontaneous problem
which you must solve or respond to in a matter of minutes. Competing in
and practicing for Spontaneous can be fun, while also sharpening your
creative and quick thinking.
FAQ
How does OotM work?
Schools or community groups purchase a membership and form teams of up
to seven students. Each team chooses one of five competitive problems
to solve (K-2 teams get a special age appropriate problem). The problems are always quite appealing to children and cover a variety of interests. Some are technical in nature, while others are artistic or performance-oriented.
Under the guidance of an adult coach, teams work on their solutions
throughout the school year and present them in
organized competitions in the spring.
Question: How much of a time commitment is OotM for students?
OotM is a challenging and time intensive TEAM activity requiring regular weekly effort over a span of 5-6 months. All team members
are expected to attend regular practices and are required to
attend competitions (please check the calendar for competition dates). OotM should not be considered a secondary
activity. Practice schedules are set at the sole discretion of the coach, but each team will typically meet a minimum of once a week for 1 or more hours during the
first semester of school (older teams meet for longer periods). As competition nears, most older teams will decide to add an extra weekly practice session, or meet for a longer period. Because teams are so small, stellar attendance by all team members is critical to the team's ability to produce a successful solution.
Question: How much does OotM cost?
If your child is placed on an OotM team, a registration fee of $100 for K-2 students, or $130 for older students must be paid prior to the first meeting. More information regarding fees can be found on the registration application. Part of this fee is used to offset the costs of national team
registration, part is given to the coach for materials needed to produce costumes, scenery, etc., and part is used for USC OotM workshops, end of year trophies, and other administrative items.
Your child's coach may also ask you to participate in a snack schedule or provide more money for snacks if meetings will run longer. Additionally,if the team exhausts it's funds for materials and supplies necessary for the solution method they have chosen, the coach will need to request extra money from all team parents.
Teams fortunate enough to advance past the regional level in March, will incur more expenses. Those advancing to the world competition usually need to fund raise.
Does my child have what it takes to be in OotM?
YES! In fact, the most successful OotM teams bring together
students with widely diverse backgrounds and skill sets. OotM teams need
kids with a variety of skills and interests, including thinkers, builders,
negotiators, painters, writers, actors, singers, dancers, etc. OotM needs the shy kids, the loud kids, the silly kids, the serious kids, the artistic kids, the nerdy kids.... OotM needs ALL KIDS!
What are the competition levels?
In the U.S., the first level of competition is usually within a region
of a state. Teams who place are invited to compete at the state level.
These championship teams are then invited to participate in the annual
Odyssey of the Mind World Finals, where they compete with teams from
countries around the world, including Canada, China, Germany, Hungary,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Poland, Singapore, and
Uzbekistan. New countries join the program each year.
How are teams judged in competition?
Thousands of volunteers from around the world judge the competitions
and serve in various positions to help make the tournaments a success.
Teams are scored for their long-term problem solution, how well they
solve a “spontaneous” problem on the spot, and “Style” -- the
elaboration of their long-term problem solution.
Who runs the Odyssey of the Mind?
Not-for-profit organizations administer the Odyssey of the Mind program
in each participating U.S. state and country. Each organization is run
by a local Association Director. The organizations are licensed by
Creative Competitions, Inc. (CCI), which provides all of the problems
and materials necessary to run training sessions and tournaments.
Why do I need to volunteer?
Without
adult volunteers, there is no Odyssey of the Mind. Volunteers are
required needed to be coaches, judges, tournament workers, etc. If you want your child to participate in OotM, you MUST be willing to participate in OotM as well.
USC OotM Coridinators can provide answers to your questions and are here to help new coaches. Contact Susan Rosati at susanrosati@comcast.net OR Sharon Byrnes at misses byrnes.com for more information.
Useful Links
Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind
Western PA Odyssey of the Mind
