Odyssey of the Mind Presentation

The day is finally here!!!  The boys made their presentation for Odyssey of the Mind, No-Cycle Recycle.  We had to arrive at 10am for the team to check in.  They then wrote Thank You cards to the volunteers before heading over to the other school where they waited until it was their turn.  It was challenging to keep the excited boys in one area until it was time for them to present at 11am.

Matthew, Taha and Collin writing thank you notes

Matthew, Cooper, Collin and Taha writing thank you notes.  

The team - Collin, Taha, Cooper, Matthew and Ian

"Team, are you ready?"  They sure are!

At 11am, the boys brought all of their props into the gym and waited for the judges to be ready. When the judges said, "Team, are you ready", the 8 minute timer started.  The boys had to quickly set the stage and start their performance.  One side of the room was set up with the alien and his planet, the middle with the recycling center and the other side with Earth.  The spaceship was set up in the middle.  Collin was the driver and Ian was the passenger.  They used crutches to move the spaceship to the alien planet, i941c, to talk to the alien.  They then moved the spaceship to the recycling center to recycle a teddy bear into Teddy Roosevelt.  They dropped him off at Earth and picked up a platypus.  Ian got out of the ship and Collin took the platypus back to the alien planet to bring water and a friend.  Then the alien got in the spaceship with Collin.  He drove back to Earth. Along the way, they picked up a rock that was recycled into a rock-it (rocket) for the alien to go back home from Earth when he was ready.

Waiting for the judges to be ready

In the spaceship headed to Planet i941c

Talking to the alien

Picking up the platypus after recycling the teddy bear

Bringing the alien to Earth

The platypus and Collin headed to Planet i941c

Headed to get the alien

Not only did the boys finish on time, they mainly remembered their lines.  The spaceship did not move along as planned, so two of the boys ended up having to push it.  We thought they did great for performing in front of an audience and not getting "cold feet" at all.  I was really impressed with this.  

After the performance, we had a little less than 2 hours until their spontaneous problem test.  This is done without the coach.  The boys are given a problem or a puzzle to solve.  They are judged on the result, how they work as a team and creativity.  While waiting, we bought lunch and let the boys play on the playground....they earned this fun time.  While they rested and ate lunch, the coach talked about the test and what to expect.  It was a beautiful day and nice to be outside watching the boys.  The time did fly by and it was time to walk to the other school for the spontaneous problem test at 2pm.  They were finished in 7 minutes.  I asked how they did and they said they could not tell me anything about it.

We are still waiting on the results but the boys are winners no matter what.  They learned about each other, to work as a team, to support other's ideas, rework a problem when an idea does not work and to perform in front of an audience over the last six months.  Also, Friday, the Principal announced each team member's name over the speaker and gave each of them a good luck goody bag loaded with snacks so they could bring them today.  I thought that was a thoughtful, great idea.

Goody bag from the Principal

Proud that his name is on the board in front of school