What is Odyssey of the Mind?

"Odyssey of the Mind teaches young people to embrace changes. It instills in youngsters an excitement about learning and an excitement about themselves and their ability to achieve what others might say is impossible." - Dr. C. Sam Micklus, Odyssey of the Mind Founder 

Working in teams, Odyssey participants select and spend several months solving one of five new problems designed and distributed each year by Creative Competitions, Inc., the group that sponsors Odyssey of the Mind nationally and internationally. These problems are designed to appeal to students with many different interests. In a given year, team members may choose from such challenges as building vehicles, designing structures that support hundreds of times their own weight, or writing plays based on classical art and literature or characters of their own creation. But whichever problem a team chooses, team members must solve it completely on their own. Every single facet of the team's solution must be designed and executed by the team members themselves. Because of this, the sense of accomplishment that Odyssey teams have when they solve a problem, whether they win at a tournament or not, is tremendously empowering. Additionally, Odyssey of the Mind's emphasis on divergent thinking pushes students to express their ideas and bring them to fruition in an environment which is free of criticism. Odyssey teaches that no answer is wrong, that everyone has something to offer, and that only when team members work together can they solve problems. For more detailed information on the Odyssey of the Mind program, including how to register for a membership, go to http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/