WORLD FINALISTS: Members and coaches of the Jenks Freshman Academy Odyssey of the Minds team have qualified for world finals. On the back row, from left are Melissa Rickman, coach, Jacob Givens, Josh Eldredge, Matthew Weeks, Sarah Rickman, Maddie Bull and Mike Miller, coach. On the front row are Brandon Gage and Rachael Hargrove.
Two Jenks “Odyssey of the Mind” teams have qualified for the 2009 OM World Finals. The Jenks Freshman Academy Team and the Jenks East Intermediate team each placed first in their divisions at the East Regional Competition held in March in Owasso. Both teams again earned first place honors at the Oklahoma State Competition that was held at East Central State University in Ada. By winning the state OM tournament, these Jenks teams have qualified to compete at the World Finals, which will be held on the campus of Iowa State University May 27th – May 30th.
The JEI team, coached by Ellen Eldredge and Laura Hoffman, competes in the Technical problem, “Teach Yer Creature.” This fifth grade team has designed and built a platypus creature that can run, jump, eat, sniff, meditate and even play the piano. This is the first experience that these 10 and 11 year old students have ever had with Odyssey of the Mind competitions and they are enjoying the challenges of learning to work together as a team to come up with creative solutions to the OM test problems. Members of this team include Daniel Archer, Coleman Bourke, James Funk, Emily Eldredge, Grant Gibson and Zach Anderson.The JFA ‘structure’ team, coached by Melissa Rickman and Mike Miller, designs and builds structures of balsa wood. At the state competition, their balsa wood structure, which cannot weigh more than 18 grams, held an amazing 732 lbs. This is the most weight that an Oklahoma team’s structure has held in at least three years. There is a great deal of excitement about this team and its ability to show well at the World Finals. Brandon Gage, Rachael Hargrove, Maddie Bull, Jacob Givens, Josh Eldredge, Matthew Weeks and Sarah Rickman are the freshman team members.
Both teams have been meeting several hours a week since October to design and build backdrops, create props and costumes and develop a skit for their performances. They will join teams from the United States as well as China, Japan, Germany, Canada, Uzbekistan, Poland, Singapore and more at the World Finals competition in Iowa. Each team is currently involved in numerous fundraising activities to offset the cost of the team’s trip to the world competition. For more information about Odyssey of the Mind, go to www.odysseyofthemind.com.
