El Zocalo Spirit Night! Support Sanford Middle Odyssey of the Mind Team

406 Sanford Avenue,Sanford FL 32771

14 April, 2022

Description

Just say "I'm here to support Sanford Middle School" and your Thursday night dinner can also support your local middle school Odyssey team! Support the team by telling them why you are there and a portion of the proceeds will go towards their trip to the World Competition at the end of May! This group of teenagers from Sanford Middle School have worked exceptionally hard for the past seven months to create a unique solution to their Odyssey of the Mind Problem 5. Not only did they win first place, but they earned a PERFECT score on their Long Term Solution AND earned a Ranatra Fusca Award. They worked to improve their solution and spontaneous skills for states and again came in the first place . They have set up different fundraisers, including yard sales and selling other items donated, but their goal is to raise as much of this money as possible over the next two months so that they require little to no money from their parents. It will cost about $2,250 dollars for each member to attend (with one parent chaperone) the World Finals In Iowa from May 25th- May 28th. They will be working every weekend until the tournament to offset their trip costs. More about Odyssey of the Mind: Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem-solving program that engages students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in an exciting, productive environment. Participants build self-confidence, develop life skills, create new friendships, and are able to recognize and explore their true potential. The competitions consist of the performance of an original skit based on the exact set of required elements given (the “long-term problem”) as well as the performance of the “spontaneous problem,” in which teams are asked to perform random tasks on the spot with no prior preparation, such as creating a bridge out of unique materials that can support weight. So, in effect, it’s a great combination of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with the arts (STEAM)! It also requires a lot of teamwork and effective communication Through this program, the kids solve their problems WITHOUT adult assistance, building props and designing their costumes and writing a script to the problem. They have a budget of $125.00, so they have to be very creative with their materials to solve their problem. This team faced many challenges during their problem-solving time. From December 10th until January 28th, they were lucky if they had 5 of the 7 team members available to attend practice due to covid hitting all of the team members and their families throughout this time. However, the kids whom were healthy each week stepped up and put in extra time and were able to finish their problem just in time for the February 12th Regional Competition. Again, not only did they win first place, but they earned a PERFECT score on their Long Term Solution AND earned a Ranatra Fusca Award. They worked to improve their solution and spontaneous skills for states and again came in the first place .