State Champion Winners of Odyssey of the Mind 2023, Problem 5, The Most Dramatic Problem Ever, Division II are Oxford Music teacher and Odyssey of the Mind coach Mrs. Leach, students; Emily Williams, Ahnalee Kappauf, Clara Leach, and Abby Palmer (holding prop actor Bobby Fredericks), and Oxford Elementary teacher and District Odyssey of the Mind Director Megan Kappauf. (Photo by Kelli Miller)

OXFORD — Oxford Elementary school teacher and District Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Director Megan Kappauf said, “The Odyssey of the Mind global competition is about solving and performing a long-term problem synopsis. The students have to do this all on their own, coaches cannot step in or even help with costumes, this is all about the students creating and solving the problem.”

Kappauf co-coached the Oxford team of 13 year olds with Oxford’s Middle and High School Music Teacher Mrs. Leach and took second place at the regionals competition, sending them to the state competition as a wild card.

A few weeks ago, they competed against 18 other teams and won, thus catapulting them to the World Competition in May in Lansing, Michigan, where they’ll compete against 49 other New York teams and a total of 800 other state teams.

“The long-term problem is the main part of OM, and teams select one of the five problems, spending months creating their solution. Teams create backgrounds, props, and costumes,” Kappauf adds. “The second part of the competition was spontaneous problem solving, and required teams to solve a timed problem they have never seen before and perform in front of a set of judges.”

The Oxford team chose the long-term problem, "The Most Dramatic Problem Ever," Division II, based on the story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." The OM team created a funny skit about a dramatic character that overreacts to common events. However, one reaction is justified, yet ignored. Costumes had to represent two characters and something that grows.

“We also have the Fabrication Lab (fab lab) which includes a 3D printer, embroidery and laser printer, and is in partnership with Raymond and Chobani. We can use it whenever we want and are encouraged to let the students learn engraving and coding and how to build things with the 3D printer,” said Leach.

Student Emily Williams said, “We used the fab lab to make our signage for the skit and that helped raise our style points.”

"We’d like to give thanks to Mrs. Paula Williams VanTyle who has helped us prepare for spontaneous and has been a lifelong supporter of Odyssey of the Mind. Also, we want to thank the district and community for their unwavering support, of which I will forever be grateful,” said Kappauf.

Scoring was as follows:

Regionals (Raw): Long term 135.25/200, Style 21.75/50, and Spontaneous 68/100

State (Raw): Long Term 152.02/200, Style 36/50, and Spontaneous 97/100

Odyssey of the Mind has been a leader in education for over 40 years. It started in Founder Dr. Sam's innovative industrial classroom at Rowan University in the 70s. He believed learning should be exciting, with students incorporating their own interests and searching for new ways to question everything.

This skill and self-confidence will carry over to all areas of their lives. OM brings the classroom to life as students apply what they learn and combine it with their interests and passions to solve unique, open-ended problems. OM also emphasizes teamwork, budgeting, time management, public speaking, and so much more. This international program is designed to help students at all learning levels grow as individual learners, grow as team members, and to reach their full potential.

Participating in a tournament is an option, not a requirement. Many schools conduct intramural Odyssey of the Mind tournaments, integrate OM into the classroom curriculum, or use it as a club.

For additional Odyssey of the Mind information or to sign up, visit odysseyofthemind.com/join.