The Bethlehem Central High School Odyssey of the Mind team placed 2nd at the New York State Odyssey Finals tournament held in Syracuse. The team, comprised of Jeremy Cintron Ortiz, Bridger Lewis, Stephanie Piccolo, Nex Cridlig, Rayne Beiter, and Sierra Obernesser, will now advance to the World Finals at Iowa State University in May.
Odyssey of the Mind is an international problem-solving competition for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Teams work together to solve challenges using both traditional and non-traditional methods, incorporating props, costumes, acting, and humor into their solutions.
One of the challenges faced by the BCHS team was building a balsa wood structure that could hold as much weight as possible while weighing only 14 grams. Despite this challenge, their structure successfully held over 300 pounds during a humorous performance at the tournament.
In addition to the high school team, four middle school teams also competed at the NY State Finals tournament. One of these teams took 3rd place in their problem and division.
Congratulations to all BC Odyssey teams and their coordinator Rebecca Beiter! For those interested in learning more about Odyssey of the Mind, email Rebecca Beiter at rbeiter@bethlehemschools.org. Best of luck to the BCHS Odyssey team as they prepare for the Odyssey World Finals at Iowa State University!