OMER’S Sunday, June 1, 2014 S Su

s w e N World

Odyssey O dyssey of the Mind 2014 W World Finals • Iowa State University

Thousands on hand for awards ceremony H

undreds of glow sticks glittered and the sound of vuvuzelas echoed across Hilton Coliseum on Saturday night as the 2014 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals came to a close. Thousands of children from across the world gathered in the coliseum for the closing award ceremony of the competition, where teams were awarded for their work across five different problems. Along with team awards, a few individual titles were handed out at the ceremony. One was the Creativity Award, which is given to an individual or organization with outstanding contributions to the development of human creativity, personal creative achievement or the application of creativity to benefit society. This year’s award was presented to Bob Partington, an inventor from the H2 show, “Thingamabob.” “It’s mind-blowing to see all this creative challenge happening on such a massive scale in one place,” Partington said on receiving his award. “It’s amazing what you’re doing… In that process, you can create awesome, awesome things.” The ceremony officially closed the week-long competition, and teams will be checking out throughout Sunday morning.

Above: Members of the Arlington, Virginia, team celebrate during the 2014 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals awards ceremony in Hilton Coliseum. The ceremony officially closed the week-long competition that took place on Iowa State’s campus. Left: Omer, the Odyssey of the Mind mascot, waves to the crowd during the awards ceremony. PHOTOS BY JULIE FERRELL/AMES TRIBUNE

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND 2014 WORLD FINALS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

WORLD FINALS RESULTS Driver’s Test Div I 1st HOWARD DRIVE ELE SCH 41161 Palmetto Bay, FL 2nd ST JOSEPH SCH 19352 Dodgeville, WI 3rd ZHABEI DIST NO 1 CTR PRI SCH 9090 CH 4th and Ranatra Fusca GRANT SCH 38833 Redding, CA 5th TAMARAC ELE SCH 30039 Troy, NY 6th BELLALAGO ACADEMY TM A 40980 Kissimmee, FL Driver’s Test Div II 1st DELAND BREAKFAST ROTARY CLUB 41324 DeLand, FL 1st MC CLURE MID SCH 36612 Kennesaw, GA 1st KARIYA INV CLUB FOR BOYS/GIRLS 34374 Kariya City, JP 2nd CANAJOHARIE MID SCH 31477 Canajoharie, NY 3rd MASTERMAN SCH TM A 27564 Philadelphia, PA 4th PIEDMONT MID SCH 33717 Monroe, NC 5th PIN OAK MID SCH 34159 Bellaire, TX 6th GENESEO CENTRAL SCH 3253 Le Roy, NY Driver’s Test Div III 1st OSRODEK PSYCHOEDUKACJI DAMB 22311 Gdansk, PD 2nd ROCKFORD H S 8675 cedar springs, MI 3rd RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 Singapore , SG 4th SARASOTA CHRISTIAN SCH 35446 Sarasota, FL 5th POCAHONTAS HIGH SCH 3506 Pocahontas, AR 6th JOHNSTON MID SCH 1165 Johnston, IA 6th J P STEVENS H S TM B 6905 Edison, NJ 7th and Ranatra Fusca BRECKENRIDGE COMMUNITY SCHS 363 Wheeler, MI The Not-So-Haunted House Div I 1st EKOLOGICZNA SZKOLA SPOLECZNA 22423 Rumia, PD 2nd MORNINGSIDE ELE SCH 28581 Port St. Lucie, FL 3rd QINGDAO NINGXIA RD NO 2 PRI SC 41979 CH 4th DONG GWANG ELE SCH 42688 KR 5th RED HAWK ELE SCH 40781 ERIE, CO 5th JEFFREY ELE SCH 35273 Madison, CT 6th WOODWARD NORTH ACADEMY 28072 Johns Creek, GA The Not-So-Haunted House Div II 1st BUDDHIST WONG WAN TIN COLLEGE 36351 Hong Kong, HK 2nd NOVO RESTORATION 41242 Loveland, CO 3rd NYSMITH SCH 30470 Herndon, VA 4th RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 Singapore , SG 4th MONROE-WOODBURY MID SCH 1946 Central Valley, NY 5th ZESPOL SZKOL STO W LODZI 36303 Lodz, PD 6th DINGMAN-DELAWARE MID SCH 19690 Dingmans Ferry, PA 6th MAGNOLIA INT SCH TM B 11961 Grass Valley, CA The Not-So-Haunted House Div III 1st NORTH PENN H S 41169 Lansdale, PA 2nd OSRODEK PSYCHOEDUKACJI DAMB 22311 Gdansk, PD 3rd WILDWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 37257 Marble Hill, GA 4th CHARTER SCH OF WILMINGTON B 30426 Wilmington, DE 5th ANGLO CHINESE SCH INDEPENDENT 31225 Singapore, SG 6th PALISADES H S 40990 Coopersburg, PA 6th F H NORTHERN H S 11908 Grand Rapids, MI The Not-So-Haunted House Div IV 1st POLITECHNIKA GDANSKA ETI KSD 34668 Gdansk, PD 2nd RADFORD UNIVERSITY 42944 Bedford, VA 3rd NORMAL UNIV TIANHUA COLLEGE 41994 CH 4th BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY 42073 Bloomsburg, PA 5th SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE 41321 San Antonio, TX 6th NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY 31722 Ft Mitchell, KY It’s How We Rule Div I 1st GOSHEN INT SCH 5727 Goshen, NY 2nd ZESPOL SZKOL STO W LODZI 36303 Lodz, PD 3rd COLE CANYON ELE SCH TM B 31565 Murrieta, CA 4th DIXON ELE SCH 33905 Holly Ridge, NC 5th WUHAN YUCAI PRI SCH 41965 CH 5th ANGLO CHINESE SCHOOL JUNIOR 33665 Singapore, SG 6th FORESTVILLE ELE SCH TM B 32449 Herndon, VA It’s How We Rule Div II 1st EAST ROCKFORD MID SCH TM A 31852 cedar springs, MI 2nd NORTH ROCKFORD MID SCH TM A 13927 cedar springs, MI 3rd SAINT MICHAEL LUTHERAN SCH 15677 Fort Myers, FL 4th ANGLO CHINESE SCH INDEPENDENT 31225 Singapore, SG 5th and Ranatra Fusca RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 Singapore , SG 6th GIMNAZJUM NR 4 W GDYNI 33997 Gdynia, PD 17th and Ranatra Fusca DAVIS DRIVE MID SCH TM A 37231 Cary, NC It’s How We Rule Div III 1st MONROE-WOODBURY H S 11519 Central Valley, NY 1st SOUTH MECKLENBURG H S 2012 Charlotte, NC 2nd ANGLO CHINESE SCH INDEPENDENT 31225 Singapore, SG

3rd QUEST HOMESCHOOLERS 33894 Pittsboro, NC 4th WOODSTOWN H S 1896 Woodstown, NJ 4th NANYANG GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL 31228 SG 4th MARY MOTHER OF REDEEMR CHRCH A 39701 North Wales, PA 5th MT ST MARY ACADEMY 23095 Little Rock, AR 5th ALAMO ROTARY CLUB 42374 Alamo, CA 5th ROCKFORD H S 8675 cedar springs, MI 5th III LO GDYNIA 20528 Gdynia, PD 5th EVART H S 18104 Evart, MI 6th HUNTERDON COUNTY LIBRARY A 41265 Flemington, NJ 6th NEWTOWN H S 39679 Sandy Hook, CT It’s How We Rule Div IV 1st and Ranatra Fusca MT PLEASANT LIONS CLUB ORANGE 37842 Midland, NC 2nd BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY 42073 Bloomsburg, PA 3rd UNIV OF SHANGHAI FOR SCI TECH 40546 CH 4th OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY 32579 Columbus, OH 5th FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLIN 42664 Berlin, GM 6th VIII LICEUM OGOLNOKSZTALCACE 33679 Gdansk, PD The Stackable Structure Div I 1st QINGDAO LAOSHAN EXP PRI SCH 41791 CH 1st CHANGZHOU JIEFANG ROAD PRI SCH 9054 CH 2nd GUCUN PRIMARY SCH 16391 Shanghai, CH 3rd RIVER OAKS ELE SCH TM B 30361 Houston, TX 3rd BERNICE YOUNG ELE SCH 31733 Springdale, AR 4th ENGLISH ESTATES ELE SCH 37980 Fern Park, FL 5th WOODWARD NORTH ACADEMY 28072 Johns Creek, GA 6th WALNUT BEND SCHOOL OF ENV SCI 40818 Houston, TX The Stackable Structure Div II 1st CHINO VALLEY ADVOGATE TM B 34512 Chino, CA 2nd C W DAVIS MID SCH 36216 Flowery Branch, GA 3rd BOYS & GIRLS INV CLUB TOYOTA 416 Toyota, JP 4th WILDWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 37257 Marble Hill, GA 5th POQUOSON MID SCH 1594 Poquoson, VA 6th RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 SG, SG The Stackable Structure Div III 1st JOHNS CREEK ART CENTER 42315 Johns Creek, GA 2nd MYERS PARK H S WHITE 12306 Charlotte, NC 3rd J P STEVENS H S TM C 19063 Edison, NJ 4th FOREST HILLS CENTRAL H S 19945 Grand Rapids, MI 5th POQUOSON H S 1595 Poquoson, VA 6th J P STEVENS H S TM B 6905 Edison, NJ 24th and Ranatra Fusca NEW LOTHROP HIGH SCHOOL 18255 New Lothrop, MI The Stackable Structure Div IV 1st UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 32872 Norman, OK 2nd PENN STATE UNIV - ALUMNI 38699 Pittsburgh, PA 3rd SHANGHAI UNIV OF ENG SCIENCE 42028 CH 4th SOUTH URAL STATE UNIVERSITY 20964 Chelyabinsk, RU 5th SCOTTSDALE COMM COLLEGE 40133 Mesa, AZ 6th POLITECHNIKA GDANSKA ETI KSD 34668 Gdansk, PD Seeing is Believing Div I 1st CANNONSBURG ELE SCH 6771 Cedar Springs, MI 2nd DAEKOK ELE SCH 42670 Seoul, KR 3rd PRINCETON ELE SCH 30544 Orlando, FL 3rd THORNAPPLE ELE SCH 5931 Grand Rapids, MI 4th SHANGHAI WORLD FOR LANG PRI SC 40553 CH 5th BOYCE MID SCH TM B 30700 Upper St. Clair, PA 6th ANGLO CHINESE SCHOOL JUNIOR 33665 Singapore, SG 12th and Ranatra Fusca CAROLYN CLARK ELE SCH TM A 35931 San Jose, CA Seeing is Believing Div II 1st ZESPOL SZKOL STO W LODZI 36303 Lodz, PD 2nd ANGLO CHINESE SCH INDEPENDENT 31225 Singapore, SG 3rd CARMEL MID SCH TM A 4226 Charlotte, NC 4th NORTH ROCKFORD MID SCH TM C 33427 Cedar Springs, MI 5th RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 Singapore , SG 6th SWIFTWATER INT CENTER 38091 Swiftwater, PA Seeing is Believing Div III 1st RAFFLES GIRLS SECONDARY SCH 31230 Singapore , SG 2nd CHARLOTTE LATIN SCH TM A 17473 Charlotte, NC 3rd NORTH ATLANTA H S 40598 Atlanta, GA 4th ANGLO CHINESE SCH INDEPENDENT 31225 Singapore, SG 5th ABINGTON SR H S 7548 Abington, PA 6th THORNAPPLE KELLOGG H S 17660 Middleville, MI Seeing is Believing Div IV 1st UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON 42531 Houston, TX 2nd PENN STATE UNIV - ALUMNI 38699 Pittsburgh, PA 3rd UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE 23159 Newark, DE 4th NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY 31722 Ft Mitchell, KY 5th SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE 41321 San Antonio, TX 6th MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 33694 MI

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OMER’s Award

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MER’s Award is given to teams that demonstrate outstanding performance in areas other than creativity. Teams and team members who are honored show great artistic ability and demonstrate good sportsmanship and teamwork. The award also acknowledges individuals, coaches, team members, parents, officials and others involved in competition who serve as outstanding examples or role models through their words and actions.

Hannah & Zachary Larsen, California After competing in Odyssey for nine years, these teens found themselves without a team. They decided to make the most of the situation by volunteering in their state and then at World Finals. In the spirit of Odyssey Angels, they wanted to do a service project during WF and decided to ask attendees to donate postcards so that OMERS could write inspirational messages to children facing life-threatening illnesses. They collected over 150 post cards that will encourage children staying at Ronald McDonald houses while receiving cancer treatment. These messages were incredibly moving and will encourage many children going through a difficult time.

Weilenmann School of Discovery, Park City UT, Problem 2, Division I In the early portion of their long-term presentation, this first-year Division I team had their entire backdrop slowly collapse on top of the characters. As this occurred, instead of panicking, one team member exclaimed “Hurricane!” and collapsed to the floor with the set. Other team members quickly began acting similarly with comments of the “destroyed house.” Unable to get the backdrop fully reassembled, they smiled and said “Here it comes again!!” This team embodied the true spirit of Odyssey by taking the problem in-stride. By remaining upbeat with a positive outlook, they turned what should have been a tragedy into one of the funniest skits of the day.

Noam Sokolovsky, East Lyme, CT Problem 4, Division I Noam Sokolovsky performed as a one-man team displaying an inordinate amount of courage and spirit. He played the narrator, three character roles, and did the entire weight placement himself. Originally, he was the member of a full team, but the rest of the team did not want to attend World Finals. This young man, a first time OMER, wanted to attend World Finals regardless. Instead of taking all the credit for his solution, he repeatedly spoke about his teammates, sharing the credit for his success.

Janet Huckleberry, Middletown DE Janet gave up her seat on the plane while traveling to World Finals when a team from Appoquinimink High School found out the airline overbooked their flight and were being bumped to the next day. She gave up her place to allow the team to all travel together even though she’d be separated from her own team from Linden Hill Elementary. She even agreed to accompany another member of the team that was also forced to travel unaccompanied because of the mix-up. She demonstrated what it means to be a true problem-solver, good sport, and exceptional person.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND 2014 WORLD FINALS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Ranatra Fusca Award Grant School Redding, California Problem 1 Division I This team showed outstanding creativity in vehicle construction that produced an illusion of flight. The doghouse cruised around the arena powered by a single electric motor, while the pilot, perched precariously atop, was automatically elevated over 6’ in the air. Employing an elegant system of cranks, the canine aviator was lifted astride the doghouse by an innovative pulley mechanism. In addition, the team showed impressive creativity by incorporating flight components throughout their performance. The judges were amazed at the simplicity and elegance with which the team combined all elements of their highly creative solution. This vehicle was dog-gone awesome!

Breckenridge Community School Breckenridge, Michigan Problem 1 Division III Nothing grabs your attention quite like a 10’ giant of color. This giant, operated by a team member, had hands with fingers that operated independently and could throw objects. The team member stood on stilts, made from scratch, stabilized with spring shocks. This technical feat also included beauty. The costume was covered in ‘scales’ made from

a multitude of colored recyclables. The team went above and beyond with the construction of this giant. The judging team was blown away by how creatively the team integrated form and function to solve their problem and bring color back to the world.

Raffles Girls School, Singapore Problem 3 Division II This remarkably creative team used a single, specific material in a multitude of exquisite and unexpected ways. A simple ordinary piece of rope was transformed into astounding aspects of their solution. This team used a length of rope, and they deconstructed it, frayed it, and stiffened it to create items that we could not believe originated from the single material in their props, costumes, and set. It was frayed to create the Druid’s beard, tassels on the membership sign, bird feathers, and much more!

Davis Drive Middle School Team A Cary, NC, Problem 3 Division II This minstrel not only played his instrument, but created it all by himself. Going above and beyond the expected bongo drums and rubber band guitars, the team used a computer program to measure the length of the sound waves in the air and

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he Ranatra Fusca Award, named for the water strider insect, promotes and recognizes creativity. This award represents the essence of the Odyssey of the Mind program. The Ranatra Fusca Award is given to teams or individuals who display tremendous creativity at competitions. This award serves as an incentive for risk takers and creative thinkers among Odyssey of the Mind participants.

created pitches. It tested the pitches and composed an original song on piano and violin and then played and performed the song by sliding a sensor up and down the neck of a robotic guitar with a mini computer inside. As the sensor moved the pitches changed and a song was played by what appeared to be nothing less than magic. This minstrel stunned the judges by creating music out of thin air!

Mt. Pleasant Lions Club Orange Midland, NC Problem 3 Division IV This team turned Stephens Auditorium into a magical aviary with puppets so lifelike that they could not be easily discerned from actual birds. The team crafted these biologically accurate birds with intricate detail in movement, gesture, and form. Sophisticated mechanisms brought a life-sized peacock, with ultraviolet feathers made of rolled paper, alive. Additionally, an artistically carved 3D cardboard owl textured with sawdust shavings scanned the audience and the royal court with a 270-degree rotation —the correct range of a real owl. It looked so real that every field mouse in Iowa ran for cover.

New Lothrop HS New Lothrop, MI Problem 4 Division III The judging team found it astoundingly ironic that the team’s chainsaw prop used to cut down the wooded forest was made primarily from various species of wood. But, even more astonishing was the talent employed in creating a laminated, varnished wood body with a concealed motor and a wooden blade complete with a chain made from PVC pipe and wood links. This creative contraption was not only visually impressive, but the wooden chainsaw was actually functional.

Carolyn Clarke Elementary Sch. Tm. A San Jose, CA Spontaneous The team took what was an individual-oriented spontaneous problem and made it into a coordinated presentation of creative and humorous responses that this judging team has never seen from a Division I team in their combined years of judging spontaneous. They had the judges laughing at their animated antics, their ability to up the ante on each other, and their creative adaptations. They provided this highly creative premise by brainstorming, generating the theme, and rehearsing their solution within the allotted two minutes of their “thinking and discussion” time.

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014

CCI offers its thanks

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CI would like to thank everyone that took part in Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. We are truly humbled by our volunteers’ and coaches’ generosity and enthusiasm — you truly keep this program running! The only group that could come close is our teams. We know the future is bright with so many creative and openminded students. Your ability to think beyond the box and use teamwork will benefit us all. Once again, Iowa State University and the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau were excellent hosts and are also an important part of the Odyssey family. No matter where you placed at World Finals, please remember that you are among the best in the world! Thank you all so much for taking part in this experience and good luck in the coming year. Perhaps we will see you next year in Michigan!

Odyssey World Finals Schedule Sunday, June 1, 2014 6 A.M. TO NOON: Housing Check-out

OMER’S World News Staff Odyssey of the Mind Editor Jennifer Veale

Ames Convention & Visitors Bureau Anika Ehlers Meredith Keeler Shawne Ungs

Ames Tribune Staff Michael Crumb Kelsey Johnson

ODYSSEY OF THE MIND 2014 WORLD FINALS IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Join the Odyssey Alumni Group

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ivision III and Division IV Odyssey of the Mind team members who are graduating from competition this year are invited to join the Odyssey Alumni Group.

The group provides opportunities for OotM alumni to continue their participation in future Odyssey activities. For more information, contact your state’s association director.

International Festival showcases world cultures

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ne of the largest events at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals may be the International Festival, where teams from across the world have the opportunity to sell souvenirs and handmade items from their home countries to the hundreds of teams at the competition. The festival is a way for the teams to show off their own cultures, and money raised during the festival can go back to their Odyssey team for future years. This year’s festival featured booths from several international teams, including India and Mexico. At the Indian team booth, the group’s full collection of approximately 20 hand-made items had sold out within the first half hour of the festival. For a team from Delaware, the International Festival was one of their main

Team Profile: Sherman, Connecticut

E From left: Juan Escobedo, Araceli Beltran and Fernando Urias sell souvenirs and hand-made items at their booth during the International Festival at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. Money raised during the festival can go back to the group’s Mexican Odyssey team for future Odyssey of the Mind competitions. PHOTO BY JULIE FERRELL/AMES TRIBUNE

events, as they got to buy items from areas like Hong Kong, and had more opportunities to trade pins with international countries. During the festival, the team exchanged pins with other

OMER Dining News Your wristband is good for entry into the dining centers and special events.

Social Media FACEBOOK: www.fb.com/OdysseyHQ TWITTER: @OdysseyHQ HASHTAG: #2014WF

Team members from the Sherman School team participated in this year’s Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. This was the team’s first year traveling to the World Finals after they placed 15th at their state level last year. PHOTO BY JULIE FERRELL/AMES TRIBUNE

teams from China, Japan and Korea. “It’s been really fun,” said team member Katherine Mello. “We came out for the clothes and cool stuff like that.”

Printing and Distribution Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa

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CONVERSATIONS DINING (OAK-ELM): Yellow UNION DRIVE MARKETPLACE: Orange HILTON COLISEUM: Pink MEMORIAL UNION FOOD COURT: Blue SEASONS MARKETPLACE: Red

Sunday, June 1 BREAKFAST: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. LUNCH*: 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. (Seasons only) DINNER*: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Seasons only)

Monday, June 2 BOX BREAKFAST*: 5 to 9 a.m. (Pick up East Side Marketplace) * Only for those with a post-conference package.

ven with groups competing from around the globe, an Odyssey team from Sherman, Connecticut, was excited enough to travel across the United States to participate in the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals for the first time. The Sherman School team of seventhgrade students remember “screaming and jumping up and down” when they placed first at their state level. Team member Jack Fitzpatrick said this year’s win was quite the step up from last year’s 15th place title out of 18 teams. Since coming to Ames for the World Finals, Fitzpatrick said his team has been exploring Ames by visiting the Furman Aquatic Center and the rock climbing wall in State Gym, as well as doing a lot of eating, pin-trading with different countries and “making a lot of good friends.” Over the course of the week, the team has collected more than 50 pins from teams ranging from Kentucky and New York to Hungary. On Friday, the team got the chance to perform their original script, which was about a haunted grocery store. Team member Madi Smith said the script was about an elderly couple who entered the grocery store and didn’t get scared by anything. “It ends up being a big family reunion,” she said. “We’ve been told by many people that it was our best performance yet.”