"Odyssey of the Mind is a great opportunity for kids to learn together as a team," said Judie Silvis, state tournament director for Odyssey of the Mind. "The kids solve problems without an adult doing any part of it. They learn to work with others in a positive way."
Elementary, middle and high school students, representing 137-teams from around Michigan have qualified for the state finals. Each team consists of five to seven students that will be judged on their knowledge, skills and talent. Students apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.
Silvis said students are rewarded more for how they apply their knowledge and talents than for coming up with the right answer. In fact, in the Odyssey of the Mind problems, there isn 't one right answer.
The 24th annual Odyssey of the Mind State Finals will be held Saturday, April 17, 2004, on the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University.
Registration begins at 7 a.m. and competition begins at 8 a.m. The awards ceremony begins at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program. Those teams that advance to the world finals will travel to the University of Maryland May 29- June 2, 2004.
