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BOURBON -ÊIn the epic poem "The Odyssey," Ulysses travels around the known world in an attempt to get home to his wife and son.
Seven Triton Elementary School students are attempting a different odyssey of global proportions.
An Odyssey of the Mind.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international program for young people from kindergarten to college age that challenges them to solve problems creatively. All 50 U.S. states and 38 other countries compete.
Cole Eiser, 10; Lance George, 9; Jennifer Irvin, 11; Kelly Rettinger, 11; Audrey Speicher, 10; Parker Terry, 8; and Matthew Zelt, 10, will travel to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, May 26 to 29, to compete in the world finals. Their division one team placed first in the Indiana state tournament April 10.
"We're representing the state of Indiana. I feel honored," Speicher said.
"I feel astonished that we finally got here," Zelt said.
Jennita Speicher, team co-coach, said getting to international competition was exciting and not just because she was one of the coaches. She is also Audrey Speicher's mother.
"One of the exciting things as a parent and coach is, you're used to going to athletic pep rallies, but going to an Odyssey of the Mind award ceremony is like going to an academic pep rally," Jennita said.
She said those competing at world competition are the "people who are going to be the world leaders (of tomorrow)."
Linda Bowdler, Triton Elementary teacher and Odyssey coach, said this isn't the first year Triton students competed and won. In 1998, she said, the junior high team won state competition and took sixth place out of 59 entries internationally. They received honorable mention. And, she said, there was only a 15-point difference in the top six groups last year.
Odyssey of the Mind competition is a long and detailed process.
First, the groups are given five different problems to choose from. After a group chooses a problem within their division, they have four months to work on solving the problem.
This year's division one Triton team chose the customer service problem.
The team's problem is to present a performance involving a sales transaction between two or more co-workers and their customers. The presentation is set in any time period. The Triton team chose to set their problem during the Oregon Trail pioneer days.
The presentation must include a memorable customer, a demonstration of an original product reflecting some aspect of the culture during the place and time decided, and the resolution of a problem involving the business. All aspects must be accomplished through teamwork, creativity and cooperation of the co-workers.
The team also had to create a prop that completes certain tasks or functions chosen from a given list. A technical element must also be presented during the presentation.
In order to help solve the problem, the Triton team created a portable pushcart pawnshop on the Oregon Trail to sell a multi-functional hat.
At the competition, the competitors also are given problems to solve spontaneously and are given points based on style.
"This group did very well in (solving the spontaneous problems)," Bowdler said.
To prepare for the spontaneous problem-solving, Bowdler said, "We constantly have to do that type of thinking."
Jennita Speicher said, "Some of the schools competing are magnet schools where they work on these things during the school day."
Since the problem must be completely solved by students, points are deducted for any outside assistance. The students must build, sew and assemble props and costumes themselves.
Limitations on the problem- solving part of the competition include a cost limit of $100 and a time limit of eight minutes.
To go on to Tennessee for the international competition, the team needs to raise $350 per team member to cover lodging and meal costs. Fund-raising efforts will include a Pioneer Bean Supper on May 8 at the elementary multipurpose room. The supper will include entertainment, competitions and craft demonstrations for children as well as a meal reminiscent of meals eaten by pioneers on the Oregon Trail. The public is invited.
Contributions may be sent to Triton Elementary Odyssey of the Mind, 200 Triton Drive, Bourbon, IN 46504. Notes of congratulations and encouragement are also appreciated.
Audrey Speicher said the Odyssey of the Mind competition will help her think of things out of the ordinary. The group said it will help them get better grades and better jobs later on. It also will increase their knowledge because of the research they must do for the competition.
"We're continuing Triton history," Rettinger said.
