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Community Corner

Hall Middle School Team to Compete at World Odyssey of the Mind

On Saturday April 5th, a team from the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District representing Hall Middle School placed 2nd at California state tournament of Odyssey of the Mind (OOTM), held at Heritage High School in Brentwood, and qualified to compete at the World Tournament in May in Ames, Iowa.

The Odyssey of the Mind World Tournament will be held at the Iowa State Campus on May 28-31st, 2014. Teams with the two highest combined scores in each division from each State Tournament were invited to compete at the World Tournament against other teams from the US and about 25 other countries.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college.  Each team of 7 is tasked to solve a long-term problem of their choosing that is entirely student-driven and student-led. The students without any outside help from parent or coaches come up with a plan, list of supplies and create, develop and construct the answer to the problem with an original 8-minute presentation. The teams also compete with shorter “spontaneous” hands-on or verbal problems presented on the spot at tournaments and solved as a team in a very limited time.  Performances in both long-term and spontaneous problems are graded on multiple elements. 

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Two teams from Hall Middle School competed at the State tournament after earning 1st and 2nd place at the Regional Tournament, on March 8 in Santa Rosa. Three teams from Hall Middle School competed at the Regional Tournament in March. Fifth grade teacher Wendy Meunier coordinated the school’s participation and volunteered as a judge for both the State and Regional tournaments. Fifth grade teacher Amanda Estes also served as a judge at the Regional Tournament.

The team which will represent the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District at the World Tournament consists of seven 5th graders from Hall: Luke Colombo, Charlie Ginsburg, Zach Ginsburg, Gabriel Goldman, Nigel Legallet, Jack Watson, and TJ Weingart. The team is coached by Elizabeth Weingart and Jennifer Ginsburg.  The team competed in the Division I “Driver’s Test” category, in which the long-term problem was the construction and design of a vehicle with two propulsion systems using two different energy sources, three tasks that the vehicle must perform in the space of 8 minutes, and the ability for the vehicle to travel forwards and in reverse.  They finished 1st place in the Regional Tournament and 2nd place at the State Tournament.

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The second team from Hall that competed in the State Tournament also included seven 5th graders: Rachel Mueller, Loughlin Browne, Ivan Burgert, Caitlin Flaherty, Sima Alavi, Quinn Suter and CeCe Paine. They competed in the Division I the “Not-So Haunted House” category and finished 2nd in the Regional Tournament. Parents Jennifer Dorsey-Browne and Sarah Mueller coached the team.

 

The third team from Hall Middle School also competed in the Division I “Driver’s Test” category at the regional Tournament. They are fifth graders: Alessandra Durkin, Caroline Koblick, Zachary Gerstenfeld, Aidan Henderson, Lex Gouwens, Lara Burgert, Greta Cifarelli and Bennett Somerville. Parent Dan Durkin was the coach.

 

The World Tournament will be held at the Iowa State Campus in Ames from May 28-31st. The team is currently trying to raise funds to pay for the trip. The total cost for the team to travel, compete and stay in the residential housing is around $10,000. The team has set up a fundraising website to solicit donations. http://www.youcaring.com/tuition-fundraiser/odyssey-of-the-mind-hall-middle-school-/161907

 

 

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