Cape Odyssey of the Mind teams heading to world competition
After strong performances in the Odyssey of the Mind state contest March 19, two teams from Rehoboth Elementary and two teams from Milton Elementary will head to the world competition May 25-29 in Ames, Iowa.
OM is a collaborative problem-solving competition that focuses on STEM, the arts and history. Students must solve spontaneous problems through creative responses or hands-on, quick projects, and long-term problems that include performing skits or creating weight-bearing structures.
A team’s standing in the competition is determined by combining its long-term score, spontaneous score and style score. Students in all Cape elementary schools competed in the state event, comprising 17 teams total. Students spent time practicing and rehearsing their presentations during lunch, after school and on the weekends.
Team Rubber Duckies from Milton earned a perfect score, a success students attribute to a special bond they share; all team members have been Spanish immersion classmates since kindergarten.
For their long-term problem, the Rubber Duckies created a play about a young girl who is whisked into a fantasy circus world with imaginary animals. The girl returns to the real world thinking it was all a dream until she sees a mysterious person from the circus.
Mind Waves from Rehoboth has a humor- and rap-filled skit depicting a threat to the environment that can only be solved with Arm & Hammer baking soda and a creative use of paper clips.
The Fossilizers of Milton delivered a musical production of the first female paleontologist, Mary Anning. The team researched Anning’s life extensively to create a skit and songs in honor of the trailblazing fossil hunter whose work was largely ignored or stolen by male scientists of the era.
The Thinky Feet team from Rehoboth is singing and dancing to a historical musical play they wrote about climate activist and women’s rights champion Eunice Foote, whose work was also overshadowed by male scientists.
Milton and Rehoboth teams are seeking to raise $30,000 so all students can attend the world finals; the cost per student is more than $1,500. Funds will help cover room, board and airline tickets.
To learn more about the teams, fundraising opportunities and to make a tax-deductible donation, go to capeom.org. All donations will be split among all four teams and must be received by Monday, April 25.
