Odyssey of the Mind teams advance to state tournament

After earning fourth place finishes in the state qualifying tournament, both Sussex Academy Odyssey of the Mind teams are now advancing to the April 5 state finals.

OM is a collaborative problem-solving competition that focuses on STEM, the arts and history. Students solve spontaneous and long-term problems that include performances and building structures. 

Sussex Academy’s sixth grade team, comprising students Jackson Cohen, Sarah Wiggins, Aubrey Farkas, Eshaal Atif and Diego Chaplin, completed the AstronOMical Odyssey long-term problem. Students created a historical civilization that presents constellations and original stories explaining each one. 

Sussex Academy’s seventh grade team, comprising Kate Wilson, Zoey Shenoy, Neil Shenoy, Alyssa McKain, Joel Denham, Catherine Ellis and Jordan Buchanan, completed the Mech-Animal Sidekick problem, in which they designed, built and operated an original robotic animal that makes people happy.

Sixth grade coach Chanell Chaplin said students showcased their critical thinking, creativity and teamwork, and their hard work paid off, as both teams will advance to the state finals April 5, where they will compete  to earn a place at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Michigan State University, May 21-24.