Westwood against the world: School’s Odyssey of the Mind team heads to world finals

Published 10:36 am Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Matt Hamilton/The Daily CitizenWestwood School Odyssey of the Mind team members are, from left, Ava Parkinson, 10, Eli Crow, 11, André Avila, 11, MyLinh Carroll, 10, Francis Cuaresma, 11, Spencer Hayes, 11, and Ben Thorne, 11.

DALTON, Ga. — First regionals, then state and now the world.

For the first time in school history, Westwood Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team will compete in the world finals this month. Westwood is the first team from Dalton to compete in the world finals since Dalton Middle School in 2010.

“It’s a big deal because it shows how much we worked and improved our skills of creativity,” team member Ben Thorne said.

Odyssey of the Mind is an “international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college,” the website states. “Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics,” according to the website.

Fifth-graders Andre Avila, MyLinh Carroll, Eli Crow, Francis Cuaresma, Spencer Hayes, Ava Parkinson and Thorne are Westwood’s team.

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Westwood is one of 850 teams competing in the Mind World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing May 24-27.

Sandra Crow, the team’s head coach, said students have been practicing since September on Wednesdays and Fridays after school. After winning regionals in Hawkinsville in February and state in Columbus last month, the team began meeting on weekends.

Crow has been coach for the past four years; in 1990 her high school team in Mexico went to the world finals.

“I’m very proud of the students,” she said. “Just the fact that Westwood advanced to state is a big deal and going to world finals is even better.”

She said it’s great to see the Westwood team, which includes her daughter, get the same opportunity. Eliza Avila and Lucile Cuaresma are also coaches and parents of team members.

This is Ava Avila’s first year on the team.

“It takes a lot of time and effort, but I think it’s really fun,” she said.

Hayes joined the team in second grade because it “sounded really interesting and helped push me to my limit,” he said.

Teams are judged on their ability to solve long-term and spontaneous problems.

There are 56 teams in Westwood’s age group Division 1, which includes grades third through fifth. The team will compete against teams from 22 states and seven countries for “Problem 1: Catch Me If You Can.” Teams will design, build and run vehicles from a multi-level parking garage to a secret meeting place without being stopped. All problems have an eight-minute time limit.

Francis Cuaresma said sometimes judges ask students to perform a spontaneous problem.

“You have to come up with answers on the spot. The judges can give you verbal, hands (when you build something) on or a combination of both,” he said.

Martha Thomason, school coordinator for the team, said the most important thing about Odyssey of the Mind is it’s “all student driven.”

“It teaches them to be independent, problem solvers and creative thinkers,” she said.

Eli Crow said she’s looking forward to competing at the world level.

“I think it will help with our team building and problem solving skills,” she said. “And I’m looking forward to meeting new people.”

Carroll said she is also looking forward to meeting people she “otherwise wouldn’t get to interact with from other countries.”

The team plans to leave Dalton on May 23 to drive to Michigan. Thomason said the team is collecting donations for the trip that is expected to cost at least $10,000. Anyone interested in donating can eat at several restaurants that have agreed to give a portion of their sales to the team.

People can also mail or drop donations off at the school. Make checks payable to Westwood Elementary School and write Odyssey of the Mind in the subject line. The address is 708 Trammell St., Dalton, GA 30720.

Thorne said he hopes they get a lot of donations.

“If we do, it will make people feel good about themselves knowing they helped us,” Thorne said.

The following restaurants are participating in “dine out to support Westwood Elementary School’s Odyssey of the Mind team.” Restaurants will donate a portion of their sales during certain times to help fund the Westwood Odyssey of the Mind team’s trip to the world finals later this month. Remember to mention Westwood Odyssey of the Mind.

Today

5 p.m. to close

Las Palmas, 1331 W. Walnut Ave.

Wednesday, May 10

5 p.m. to close

The Sweet Spot, 336 S. Hamilton St.

Saturday, May 13

5 to 8 p.m.

Oakwood Cafe, 201 W. Cuyler St.

Tuesday, May 16

5 p.m to close

Love Empanadas, 107 W. Cuyler St.

Wednesday, May 17

10 a.m. to close (both locations)

Gondolier, 900 S. Thornton Ave., 1229 Cleveland Highway