Schools

LB Teams Qualify for Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

Four teams make it to the state championship.

It will be Long Beach students against the world.

One team of Long Beach elementary students was named the State Champions, and another Long Beach elementary team took second place at the Odyssey of the Mind (OM) Competition held in Binghamton March 26. Their first and second-place finishes earned both teams a coveted spot in the World Finals the weekend of May 28 at the University of Maryland.

This is the first time that a Long Beach elementary team went on to the World Finals. Long Beach was the only New York team to send more than one team to the World Finals. Never before has more than one Long Beach team qualified in a single year.

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A total of three Long Beach elementary teams and one Long Beach Middle School team qualified to compete at States by finishing first in the regional competition at the Rosemary Kennedy Center in Wantagh. Long Beach had the most first-place teams of any other school in the region. For over 25 years, the district has had at least one team qualify for the state competition, but to date this is the largest number of teams that have qualified in a single year.

The three elementary teams prepared for the competition as part of the Long Beach School District’s Learning Activities for Raising Creativity (LARC) program, under the direction of LARC teachers Beverlee Bertinetti and Caitlin Fuentes. Each winning team had students from East, West, Lido and Lindell Elementary Schools, as well as Long Beach Catholic Regional School.

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The two middle school teams, all of who are sixth graders, prepared for the competition through the school’s OM Club, under the direction of Faculty Coach Lorraine Radice. One team went on to Binghamton to compete at the state level. They were the youngest team in their division to qualify for states.

The second middle school team, which finished third in the regional competitions, won the “OMer,” a special award given to a select few teams who exemplify extraordinary teamwork and spontaneous creative problem-solving ability.

This award is so prestigious that it is not even given every year.

Many of the middle school winners had participated in OM competitions in past years, and six of them have qualified for state competitions in the past.

The State Championship elementary team of Jared Weissberg, Paulina Cardona, Mallie Littman, Courtney Aslan, Charlotte Kile, Lindsey Rudtner and Dane DePasquale solved a problem called “As Good as Goldberg,” creating a complicated apparatus to perform the otherwise simple task of pouring salt.

The elementary team of Danielle Breen, Jayla Coad, Jesse Scott, Chrysalis Mandell, Joanie Sceppa, Lucia Techera and Shea McMahon finished second in the state. They solved a problem called “Le Tour Guide,” in which a classical literary character leads a guided tour to two real and one invented destinations.

The elementary team of Shira Mann, Sophia Valentin, Talia Fernandez, Madison Gusler, Emily Burns, Julian Mercante and Ava DeBruin finished first in the regional competition, qualifying them to compete at the state level.

They solved a problem called “Full Circle,” creating a musical skit in which they designed an object, changed it three times, and then returned it to its original state.

The middle school team of Jamie Ochs, Kelly Gannon, Isabella DeFrancesco, Maggie Conforti, Natalia Quintero, Savannah Kile and Lea Jaffe also qualified for the state competition. They solved the “Le Tour Guide” problem.

The middle school team of Rachel Leoutsakos, Noelani Tomicick, Jake Kaliszewski, Alexandra Thursland, Daisy Murero and Finian Ashmead solved the “As Good as Goldberg” problem. This team finished third at the regional competition and also earned the prestigious “OMer” award.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides students with opportunities to apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition at the local, state and international levels. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and some 25 countries abroad participate in the program.

The students who participate in OM say that it teaches them to think outside of the box, be creative, practice teamwork, overcome fears and get along with others. They say they must also be committed to working countless hours, brainstorming, writing and practicing their scripts, and creating props and costumes to prepare for competition.

Do you know a great kid?

He or she could have accomplished something momentous, or could have been part of a group or team that made a difference. Or, you might just know a kid who is an all-around good kid, deserving of a little honest praise.

The kid you know could be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree.

Each week, Long Beach Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual  kids, youth groups, teens, and even sports teams that wow us with their accomplishments and with their character.

We want to hear about these children and teens and select one each week as the Patch Whiz Kid. Submit your nomination in our comment box below, or e-mail the information to josephk@patch.com.

Be sure to include all of the following information:

●      Your name

●      Your email

●      Whiz Kid's name

●      His or her age

●      His or her school

●      His or her accomplishments or a description of good character

●      The key to his or her success

●     Any advice he or she has for other kids.

If your nominee is selected, we'll contact you!


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