Odyssey of the Mind Competition at Millersville

MILLERSVILLE, PA (03/07/2013)(readMedia)-- After months of dedication, 565 students from all over East Central Pennsylvania will use their creativity and teamwork skills to compete in developing various problem-solving methods at the International education program, Odyssey of the Mind. Millersville University of Pennsylvania will be hosting the annual competition on March 16 in the Student Memorial Center and Pucillo Gymnasium from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Odyssey of the Mind empowers teams of as many as seven students to produce solutions for long-term and spontaneous problems. Out of the five long-term problems provided prior to the event, favoring either the arts or sciences, each team chooses one and has eight minutes to present a solution. The spontaneous problems can be either verbal, hands-on or a combination of the two and are kept secret till the day of the competition.

There are four divisions in the competition, which are categorized by grade level: Division I (Grades K-5); Division II (Grades 6-8); Division III (Grades 9-12) and Division IV (Collegiate). The teams are then evaluated based on various aspects of the solutions provided, such as creativity and how well they worked together as a team. This year there will be more than 200 judges volunteering at the event.

"Kids from over 40 regional schools will compete at the Odyssey of the Mind," said Jill Craven, tournament director. "The tournament encourages students to think outside the box and to develop confidence in their creative processes."

Odyssey of the Mind allows students to learn the creative problem-solving process while having fun working in a competitive environment. If you are interested in volunteering at the event or looking for more information, contact Craven at Jill.Craven@millersville.edu.

Millersville University of Pennsylvania is a top-ranked, public university located in the northeast region of the United States. It is committed to offering students a high quality, comprehensive university experience of exceptional value. Dedicated to providing nationally recognized programs that embrace the liberal arts, Millersville offers academic opportunities that are supported by outstanding faculty who are accomplished scholars and practitioners. Founded in 1855 as the first Normal School in Pennsylvania, Millersville University is one of 14 universities within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.