• Odyssey of the Mind 

     

     

    Do you like to make things?

    Do you like to work with others and show team spirit?

    Do you like to find creative ways to solve problems?

     

    Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem‐solving competition for students of all ages. Teams of students select a problem, create a solution, then present their solution in a competition against other teams in the same problem and division. They also compete in a spontaneous competition, solving problems using teamwork, creativity, and improvisation. 

     

    Teams are composed of 5‐7 members working under the guidance of two adult coaches. Teams develop their own schedules (outside of school) and spend the time leading up to the competition (in March) working at their own pace, creating solutions to long‐term problems. Team members come up with all the ideas for their solution and do all the work themselves. Coaches can assist with organization, scheduling, teaching needed skills, and practicing spontaneous problems. There are 2 divisions for elementary students:     

    • Primary teams (K‐2)  fun and non-competitive 

    • Grades 3-5  competitive problem solving teams…also fun :)



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    Parents,

     

    As the OM Coordinator, I will create teams of students based on their ranked interest in each of the problems. I will do my best to give your child his/her first choice, but that will be dependent upon the number of students and the availability of coaches. If you coach a team, you will likely get your first choice. Each team needs two parent coaches. Feel free to comment on your registration form if you’ve already spoken to another parent and you would like to coach together.

     

    Before completing the registration form, please visit www.odysseyofthemind.com to get a good picture of what to expect with OM. Delaware’s OM website is very helpful as well, especially for coaches - www.deootm.org. Students will work from October to March on their long-term problems, all the while practicing spontaneous problem solving. I will provide materials and support throughout the school year. 

     

    This is a big commitment for your child. Please be ready to make OM practices a priority. Participating in OM and Lego League in the same school year is not recommended. There are often conflicts with practices and tournaments, which is unfair to both teams. Thanks for taking this into consideration when making decisions.

     

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to conflicting schedules, students who participate in OM will NOT be able to audition for or participate in the Spring school musical. No exceptions. Thank you for adhering to this policy, which benefits all students and families involved in OM or the musical.



    General Timeline:

     

    September 20th - All online registration forms due to Ms.Geracimos.

     

    Beginning of October - Coaches will receive their team info and reach out to their students/parents to set up a practice schedule, including days, times, and locations. (Teams often meet once a week at first and change to twice a week as we get closer to the competition - generally, end of January or beginning of February.) I will provide the coaches all of the information they need, which can be found online as well. Coaches must attend one or two trainings, as instructed by OM. I will handle the “paperwork” - online registrations, payments, etc. Coaches will need to pay for a background check, though it’s a nominal fee for school volunteers. Be sure to tell them why you need one. There is no cost to students. North Star will cover the cost. If your team qualifies and goes to Worlds, the district will cover student room and board, but travel costs must be covered by the families. If there is a financial need, we can often help with that. Please do not hesitate to participate for this reason. Each team requires two coaches and a volunteer judge (parent, friend, community member) who will judge the competitions in March. This will require an initial online training and an additional in-person training. Teams will be set once these volunteers are in place.

     

    Mid-October - Teams begin practices.

     

    Early March - I host a dress rehearsal at NSE. Very helpful for the OMers and their coaches!!

     

    March - Regional Competition (Date TBD - Saturday)

     

    March/April - State Competition (Date TBD - Saturday) - For teams that qualify at the Regional Competition. (Only problems one through five, not Primary.)




    If you and your child are ready for OM, here is the link to this year’s problem synopses:

    https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2025-Synopses-Themed.pdf

     

    and here for our registration form:

     

    https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSePUzKmpF1xkkH8WSnX2Gq-qBePG_vcgqJNBGhQ7hVC6J_Jqw/viewform?usp=pp_url.



    Please reach out with any questions. I am here to help!!

    Kristin Geracimos

    kristin.geracimos@redclay.k12.de.us