On Saturday, April 5, the Middle School Odyssey of the Mind team traveled to J.P. Stevens High School in Edison to compete in the New Jersey State Finals. Since the late 1970s, Odyssey of the Mind (OM) has provided creative problem-solving opportunities for students of all ages, both nationally and internationally. According to their website, OM invites teams to apply their ingenuity and imagination to “solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.” This year, Pennington’s Middle School team participated in the OM-Mazing Race Division II category. 

The team members attending included Alice K. ’30, Arden S. ’30, Baxter S. ’31, Grady M. ’30, Teagan R. ’31, and Tom M. ’30. One participant, Jack W. ’30, could not attend the competition but contributed to the long-term solution, which the sixth- and seventh-graders had been working on since November. The presentation of the long-term solution impressed both judges and coaches and the team scored very well in the spontaneous portion of the competition, highlighting their ability to think creatively in the moment. 

Overall, the team earned 323 points out of a possible 350, placing second in the State finals! Throughout the process, the group built a strong camaraderie, harnessing their collective creativity and dedication to produce an exceptional effort. Congratulations MS OM team!