St. Augustine's Public Montessori School academic team heads to World Final Championships

St. Augustine’s Public Montessori School’s Odyssey of the Mind Team is heading to the OM World Final Championships.

After ranking among Florida’s top three teams in the problem and division category, seven students will be among those vying to win gold at the World Competition at Iowa State University, May 21-24.

Team members include Isaac Hellmuth; Kelsey Young; Charlie Jones; Leif Czajkowski; Luke Daniello; Luna Espinoza Proffitt; and Willow Washington. The students earned their World Finals placement by competing at the Manatee regional tournament in February and the Florida State tournament in Orlando in March.

The Odyssey of the Mind is a program born and bred from the innovative teachings of Dr. C. Samuel Micklus. The Rowan University teacher of Creative Problem-Solving challenged his students to build a vehicle without wheels; design and test a mechanical pie thrower; and make a flotation device to safely cross a lake. The solutions attracted the attention of students, educators and the local media.

In 1978, Dr. Micklus offered a competition for middle and high school New Jersey students to solve problems, giving birth to Olympics of the Mind (OM).

By popular demand, Creative Competitions, Inc. (CCI) was formed. Upon formation of a Worlds Final Competition, CCI helped to organize local nonprofits to administer the program across the country. Soon thereafter the title was changed to Odyssey of the Mind (OM™) to represent a journey of creative discovery for solving problems.

Today, thousands of students from the U.S. and 25 countries compete in the OM World Finals, an annual event that gathers 800+ teams and nearly 6,000 students from the U.S, South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, Poland, Mexico, Brazil, France and Switzerland. The competition touts sponsorships such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, Microsoft, NASA, INK! (Investing in Kids) and more.

“World Finals includes teams from as far away as China, Germany, Mexico, India – as well as Canada’s continued presence!” notes the OM website. “Twenty thousand people travel to World Finals – teams, parents, coaches, and volunteers; proving that creative thinking is universal, and that OM is the positive force that brings them together.”

"Our school added Odyssey of the Mind this year as critical thinking enrichment for our students,” said St. Augustine’s Montessori School Director Diane Dodds. “Montessori students are accustomed to problem-solving and hands-on exploration.”

The creative, critical thinking, problem-solving program blends writing, design, construction, and theatrical performance to solve long-term problems with real world skills. The website described OM as bringing the classroom to life through teamwork, budgeting, time management, and public speaking.

“This international program is designed to help students at all learning levels grow as individual learners, grow as team members, and to reach their full potential,” they said.

According to parent Crystal Jones, the St. Augustine team made its own props and costumes and created a self-propelled vehicle for its long-term problem. Jones said that through the Montessori School’s volunteer structure, families also become an integral part of OM as teams can make a difference within their communities.

“Odyssey of the Mind is not just about competing and problem-solving, it’s about friendship and family,” she said. “During OM competitions, young people are encouraged to meet new friends and watch and learn from the ideas of others.”

"Since September, the teams have dedicated numerous hours to practicing together, crafting scripts, designing sets, costumes, and props, rehearsing skits, and preparing for spontaneous problem-solving," said Coach Kimberly Hellmuth.

“Participating, let alone progressing through the levels to the Worlds competition, is such an accomplishment,” continued Dodds. “The entire school community is so proud of our upper elementary students for their perseverance and grit."

Jones admitted that getting the team, chaperones and props to Iowa State is no small feat as the group fundraises and seeks local sponsorship.

“It’s yet another creative challenge for the kids to brainstorm, talk to local businesses, and come up with events to help cover the cost of competing at Worlds,” she said.

Bake sales, BBQ dinners, online raffles and selling recycled seed bombs are among their creative tasks. Jones underscored the importance of such a spotlight on St. Augustine.

“Involvement reinforces St. Augustine as a hub for academic excellence and creativity and attracting interest in community institutions like Flagler College and the University of St.  Augustine,” she said.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Public Montessori School’s academic team heads to championships