On Feb. 28, the Williamsport Area School District sent six Odyssey of the Mind teams to the North Central PA regional competition. Three teams moved on to States, including the high school team.

What is Odyssey of the Mind? Long story short, Odyssey of the Mind (or OM for short) is a creative, problem-solving organization that encourages kids to think spontaneously, critically, and outside of the box. Every team, compromised of 5-7 students, must solve a problem they are given in a sub-8-minute skit, which is scored based on listed elements. Another part of the competition features thinking on the spot, forcing teams to have ideas right then and there. OM challenges kids in ways the classroom may not, and teaches them life skills that they never know when they might need, including teamwork! 

The district had teams competing from Cochran Primary School, Jackson Primary School, Curtin Intermediate School (2 teams), WAMS, and WAHS. Each school from the district had at least one person on a team, which is a first for the district.  Three teams placed at Regionals at Berwick: one of the Curtin teams (1st), WAMS (2nd), and WAHS (1st). These teams will be moving on to PA State Finals. 

The seven members of the high school team are: Ava Carter, Cooper Gutberlet, Brayden Harpster, Petrova Hinshaw, Rocco Mirabito, Mason Robinson and Daniel Turner. The team has worked very hard since September, and has to had to jump through many hurdles including weather-canceled practices, conflicting extracurriculars, and even a team member receiving major spinal correction surgery (for which the team was given an “OMer Award” for being so flexible in that process), but they still will compete on March 28, at Pocono Mountain East HS, along with the other two teams from the district that advanced.

Great job and good luck to all of our OMers in WAHS and across the district!