A group of students from Lyseth Elementary School in Portland spent part of their spring vacation practicing for the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals. Lyseth’s A and B teams of fifth-graders both qualified for next month’s competition in Iowa.
Lyseth Elementary School fifth-graders Emily Seavey and Sammy Desjardins work together to lift a giant syringe during a rehearsal of their team’s production “No-cycle, Recycle” that will be performed at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals in Iowa in May. Photos by Jill Brady/Staff Photographer
Students from 70 schools turned out for the April 2 state tournament in Biddeford.
Coach Melanie Desjardins, left, speaks with Team B about their production. From left are team members Desjardins, Seavey, Declan McPartlan, Ella Romano and Jack Armstrong.
Students receive their problems in the late fall and came up with a solution and presentation – without any adult help – which they demonstrate before a panel of judges. In March about 120 teams were winnowed down by about half at regional tournaments in Brunswick and Sanford.
The top two winners in each of numerous divisions from the tournament in Biddeford may compete at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Iowa State University from May 25 to 28.
Each team has to raise money to finance the trip, which costs about $800 to $1,000 per child.
At left: Desjardins and Seavey demonstrate their people-powered vehicle. Two teams of fifth-graders, 14 students in all, designed and built vehicles without pedaling for propulsion as part of the problem-solving competition. At right: Ella Romano reacts while rehearsing her team’s production “No-cycle, Recycle.”
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