The Aspen Elementary Odyssey of the Mind Division 2 team garnered first place in their division at the Colorado State Tournament. Team members head to the World Finals in May at Michigan State University. Courtesy/LAPS
Members of the Aspen Elementary Odyssey of the Mind Division 2 team. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
The Aspen Elementary Odyssey of the Mind Division 2 team garnered first place in their division at the Colorado State Tournament held last weekend in Fort Collins, Colo. Team members will be moving on to the World Finals at the end of May at Michigan State University.
The Aspen OMers sent two teams to the competition. “The Division 1 team competed at the elementary level, and the Division 2 team competed at the middle school level,” Coach Matt Allen said. “They did amazing! The Division 1 team placed 2nd out of 11 teams in their division, and the Division 2 team placed 1st in their division.”
The Division 1 roster includes Isaiah Serna, Hati Mei Downing Olsen, Keiland Kolar, Audrey Thornton, Hazel Beaulieu, Ferrin Bullock-Jenson and Alma Trujillo.
The Division 2 roster includes Jocelyne Dolejsi, Kaya Wilson, Kai Bain-Zink, Evan Kolman, Zack Ramirez, Gianna Rolfe and Alea Kretz.
“We’re so proud of them,” Coach Vickie Daley said. “They worked so incredibly hard this year to put together their solutions, and for many of them, it was their first time in the program. What you see in the pictures is an entire year’s worth of hard work and dedication for these kids.”
Aspen Elementary has participated in Odyssey of the Mind competitions for the past five years, and have garnered first place honors in the Colorado State Tournament for the last three years.
Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students and community group members of all ages. As noted on its website, Odyssey of the Mind has been the world’s greatest creative problem-solving program since its beginning, in 1978. What started as a project for students in a single industrial design class has grown into a world-wide program that has reached multiple generations, allowing students to learn, develop, and employ skills related to teamwork, resource management, designing and making, divergent thinking, and so much more. Odyssey of the Mind provides students with a place to learn today’s creative problem-solving skills while having fun.
