Staff Columnist
YORK COUNTY —
Students from school districts serving Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Wells, Ogunquit, and York had great success at the Odyssey of the Mind State Tournament in Sanford on Saturday, Mar. 28. Together, the three districts qualified 10 teams to participate in the World Finals in Ames, Iowa in late May. In all, 29 teams from the school districts participated in the event.
“We had nine teams altogether that competed,” said Susan Onion, one of the Wells-Ogunquit coaches. “Five teams qualified for the Worlds, four placed first and one second.”
Students participate in five different divisions and in different problem areas in the Odyssey of the Mind competition. Divisions include primary (Kindergarten through grade two), division one (grades three through five), division two (grades six through eight), division three (high school) and division four (college).
The primary division teams do not compete but rather use the tournament to get oriented to the Odyssey of the Mind program. The other four divisions compete in categories of pre-assigned projects where they must create something and also must complete a spontaneous project given the day of the event. The former is worth 250 points, the latter worth 100. Despite having coaches, the students must come up with the completed projects themselves. Only first and second place finishers move on to the next phase.
For example, the team Onion coaches, a division two group of seven eighth graders, competed in a category called Shock Waves. “Using balsa wood, they created a structure that weighed less than 18 grams and was eight inches high,” Onion said. “The goal is to have it hold as much weight as possible. Theirs held 840 pounds. Then they had to create a skit about it.”
That team finished first. Other first place finishers in Wells-Ogunquit included division two teams coached by Matt McDonnell and Shannon Emerton (Earth Trek), Colleen Forde and Patti Brann (Teach Yer Creature), and Gail Moulton (Superstition). Mark Kafkas’ division one team finished second with its problem of the Lost Labor of Heracles.
“They created a skit eight minutes long to explain one of his labors and then created a new (labor) of their own,” Onion explained.
MSAD 71 (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport) District Coordinator Stacy Schatzabel said two teams had qualified. “We had 12 teams participate,” she said. “The Middle School of the Kennebunk’s took second place for its Superstition team (coached by Iris Sherman) and the high school took second for its Earth Trek team (coached by Carrie Tracy). We had more teams this year participate. We had five primary teams. They’re not judged but are here for the experience.”
York has the distinction of having three teams qualify, including the only division four team competing. That team included District Coordinator Michele Freitag, a Masters candidate at the University of Southern Maine, two of her sons, students at York County Community College, and two other college students. They competed under the name of the community college.
“In order for us to use YCCC’s name, my son had to start a club to organize the team,” Freitag said. “Division four teams automatically go to the Worlds because there aren’t many of them. Maybe there are 20 in total.”
The York Middle School Superstition team, coached by Julie Eneman and Dani Stevenson, garnered a first place finish. The Coastal Ridge Elementary School Shockwaves team, also coached by Eneman, grabbed a second place. In total eight teams from York participated at Sanford.
Qualifying is just one hurdle, however. Teams now have to find a way to cover the expenses of getting to Iowa and staying there for four or five days.
“The coaches are discussing that with the parents and families of the kids,” said Onion. Onion noted that last year, her team engaged groups like the Wells Rotary Club to help raise money.
Schatzabel identified the same issue in Kennebunk. “The Middle School team is going for sure,” she said. “I don’t know about the high school team.”
Regardless, York’s Freitag said the program was an invaluable one for the students. “The kids would tell you the best part is that adults can’t tell you what to do,” she said. ‘The (problem solving) totally belongs to them. Other benefits are that it gives the creative kids a chance to shine. It’s a great place for kids who think differently and outside the box. OM cherishes that.”
“We had nine teams altogether that competed,” said Susan Onion, one of the Wells-Ogunquit coaches. “Five teams qualified for the Worlds, four placed first and one second.”
Students participate in five different divisions and in different problem areas in the Odyssey of the Mind competition. Divisions include primary (Kindergarten through grade two), division one (grades three through five), division two (grades six through eight), division three (high school) and division four (college).
The primary division teams do not compete but rather use the tournament to get oriented to the Odyssey of the Mind program. The other four divisions compete in categories of pre-assigned projects where they must create something and also must complete a spontaneous project given the day of the event. The former is worth 250 points, the latter worth 100. Despite having coaches, the students must come up with the completed projects themselves. Only first and second place finishers move on to the next phase.
For example, the team Onion coaches, a division two group of seven eighth graders, competed in a category called Shock Waves. “Using balsa wood, they created a structure that weighed less than 18 grams and was eight inches high,” Onion said. “The goal is to have it hold as much weight as possible. Theirs held 840 pounds. Then they had to create a skit about it.”
That team finished first. Other first place finishers in Wells-Ogunquit included division two teams coached by Matt McDonnell and Shannon Emerton (Earth Trek), Colleen Forde and Patti Brann (Teach Yer Creature), and Gail Moulton (Superstition). Mark Kafkas’ division one team finished second with its problem of the Lost Labor of Heracles.
“They created a skit eight minutes long to explain one of his labors and then created a new (labor) of their own,” Onion explained.
MSAD 71 (Kennebunk, Kennebunkport) District Coordinator Stacy Schatzabel said two teams had qualified. “We had 12 teams participate,” she said. “The Middle School of the Kennebunk’s took second place for its Superstition team (coached by Iris Sherman) and the high school took second for its Earth Trek team (coached by Carrie Tracy). We had more teams this year participate. We had five primary teams. They’re not judged but are here for the experience.”
York has the distinction of having three teams qualify, including the only division four team competing. That team included District Coordinator Michele Freitag, a Masters candidate at the University of Southern Maine, two of her sons, students at York County Community College, and two other college students. They competed under the name of the community college.
“In order for us to use YCCC’s name, my son had to start a club to organize the team,” Freitag said. “Division four teams automatically go to the Worlds because there aren’t many of them. Maybe there are 20 in total.”
The York Middle School Superstition team, coached by Julie Eneman and Dani Stevenson, garnered a first place finish. The Coastal Ridge Elementary School Shockwaves team, also coached by Eneman, grabbed a second place. In total eight teams from York participated at Sanford.
Qualifying is just one hurdle, however. Teams now have to find a way to cover the expenses of getting to Iowa and staying there for four or five days.
“The coaches are discussing that with the parents and families of the kids,” said Onion. Onion noted that last year, her team engaged groups like the Wells Rotary Club to help raise money.
Schatzabel identified the same issue in Kennebunk. “The Middle School team is going for sure,” she said. “I don’t know about the high school team.”
Regardless, York’s Freitag said the program was an invaluable one for the students. “The kids would tell you the best part is that adults can’t tell you what to do,” she said. ‘The (problem solving) totally belongs to them. Other benefits are that it gives the creative kids a chance to shine. It’s a great place for kids who think differently and outside the box. OM cherishes that.”
Team Rosters for Odyssey on the Mind World Finals
MSAD71 Qualifiers
Second Place Teams
Second Place Teams
Middle School of the Kennebunk’s - division 2 - Superstition: Matthew Sherman, Matthew Rimmer, Noah Ciminean, Tyler Dumas, Caleb Voisine-Addis, Katherine Richard, Victoria Cabral, Coach: Iris Sherman.
Kennebunk High School - division 3 - Earth Trek: Caitlin Dalrymple, Jessica Langlais, Dylan Corrao, Evan Clough, Ashley Haroldson, Coach: Carrie Tracy.
Kennebunk High School - division 3 - Earth Trek: Caitlin Dalrymple, Jessica Langlais, Dylan Corrao, Evan Clough, Ashley Haroldson, Coach: Carrie Tracy.
York Qualifiers
First Place Teams
First Place Teams
York Middle School - division 1 - Superstition Team: Abigail Eneman, Emily Knoettner, Rachel Stevenson, Christine Ellis, Tressa Ellis, Marina McCarthy, Sadie Arsenault, Coaches: Julie Eneman and Dani Stevenson.
YCCC - division 4 - Heracles Team: Michele Freitag, Michael Freitag, Thomas Freitag, Allison Novak, Nicholas Trent.
Second Place Team
Coastal Ridge Elementary - division 1 - Shockwaves Team: Brooks Kennedy, Mairead Murphy, Emma DiMuzio, Benjamin Eneman, Elliott Gear, Jesse Bettencourt, Coach: Julie Eneman.
Wells-Ogunquit QualifiersYCCC - division 4 - Heracles Team: Michele Freitag, Michael Freitag, Thomas Freitag, Allison Novak, Nicholas Trent.
Second Place Team
Coastal Ridge Elementary - division 1 - Shockwaves Team: Brooks Kennedy, Mairead Murphy, Emma DiMuzio, Benjamin Eneman, Elliott Gear, Jesse Bettencourt, Coach: Julie Eneman.
First Place Teams
Division 2 - Earth Trek: Ben Wright, Hunter McDonnell, Zachary Pierce, Tyler Bartlett, Cody Cousins, Nick Cousins, Coaches: Matt McDonnell and Shannon Emerton.
Division 2 - Teach Yer Creature: Mike Stivaletta, Joey DeFelice, Connor Heyland, Robert Brann, Justin Villemaire, Zachary Villemaire, Dylan Cody, Coaches: Colleen Forde/Patti Brann.
Division 2 - Superstition: Abigail Moulton, Emily Borkowski, Lexy Haye, Hannah Bragdon, Maddie Taylor, Jenna Ingalls, Ashley Szcsapas, Coach: Gail Moulton.
Division 2 - Shock Waves: Maddie Andrews, Madison Moore, Sean Roche, Paul Michaud, Zoe Onion, Kaitlin Devlin, Ashley Hussey, Coach: Susan Onion.
Second Place TeamDivision 2 - Teach Yer Creature: Mike Stivaletta, Joey DeFelice, Connor Heyland, Robert Brann, Justin Villemaire, Zachary Villemaire, Dylan Cody, Coaches: Colleen Forde/Patti Brann.
Division 2 - Superstition: Abigail Moulton, Emily Borkowski, Lexy Haye, Hannah Bragdon, Maddie Taylor, Jenna Ingalls, Ashley Szcsapas, Coach: Gail Moulton.
Division 2 - Shock Waves: Maddie Andrews, Madison Moore, Sean Roche, Paul Michaud, Zoe Onion, Kaitlin Devlin, Ashley Hussey, Coach: Susan Onion.
Division 1 - Lost Labor of Heracles: Charlie Bell, Kent Kellar, Sam Onion, Kate Macolini, Ian Hussey, Melodie Godin, Taryn Lambert, Coach: Mark Kafkas.
