PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
April 8, 2013
Contact: Erik Veiga
emveiga@tropicalodyssey.org
Four Miami-Dade Schools Advance to Represent Florida at Odyssey of the Mind World Finals
Orlando, Fla. - Four teams from Miami-Dade County earned the right to represent their hometown and the state of Florida on an international level as they advanced to the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals Competition Saturday with top spots and special recognitions at the Florida State Tournament.
Odyssey of the Mind is the world's largest creative problem solving competition for children. Odyssey fosters creative thinking and problem solving skills among participating students from kindergarten through college. Students solve problems in a variety of areas - from building mechanical devices to giving their own interpretations of literary classics.
Teams of five to seven young people from all over Miami-Dade County participated in the Tropical Region tournament at Miami Springs Senior High School on February 23rd. Those who advanced to the Florida State Tournament competed for a chance to represent Florida on the world stage.
The four teams that will travel to World Finals at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI from May 22nd to the 25th are:
- Howard Drive Elementary - 2nd Place - ARTchitecture: The Musical - Div. I
- David Lawrence, Jr. K-8 Center - 2nd Place - It's How You Look At It - Div. II
- Palmetto Middle - 3rd Place/Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award - Pet Project - Div. II
- Johnson and Wales University - 1st Place - It's How You Look At It - Div. IV
Johnson and Wales University became the first collegiate team from Miami-Dade County to participate in Odyssey of the Mind, and was the only collegiate team participating in this year's State Tournament. Collegiate teams automatically advance to World Finals, but are invited to take part in state and regional tournaments.
A Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award win ensured Palmetto Middle School's trip to Michigan. While typically only first and second place teams advance to World Finals, teams that earn a Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award are eligible to advance to the next level of competition regardless of where they place. The Ranatra Fusca Award, named for the water strider insect, promotes and recognizes creativity. This award represents the essence of the Odyssey of the Mind program. The Ranatra Fusca Award is given to teams or individuals who display tremendous creativity at competitions. This award serves as an incentive for risk takers and creative thinkers among Odyssey of the Mind participants.
For more information about Tropical Region Odyssey of the Mind, visit: http://tropicalodyssey.org/.
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