Two Vineland Teams Vying for Honors at OM World Finals

While most students are looking forward to a relaxing Memorial Day weekend, Vineland High School students on two Odyssey of the Mind teams will be vying for national honors at the OM World Finals, on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI.

Students from around the world are competing in the 28th annual OM World Finals. This competition emphasizes creativity and teamwork. According to press information, supplied by OM, the World Finals has grown into such a huge event because OM makes learning fun while giving kids the chance to explore their imaginations and express their creativity.

Millions of students have been working hard all year perfecting their solutions to OM problems and competing within their regions and states in order to advance to the 2007 World Finals. However, only the best of the best make it to the finals.

While the competition is fierce, there is also a feeling of camaraderie among competitors. Many students form life-long friendships that span the U.S. and the globe. Teams have the chance to learn about other cultures through a common goal . . . to be as creative as they can.

One of the VHS teams, coached by Sheryl Rasmussen, qualified for the World Finals by becoming the first team in New Jersey to win first place in two problems --- “Tag Em” and “The Large And Small Of It. The team includes Jenny Paterno, Elena Obelenus, Evan Flood, Katie Giocondo, Ali Furman, Karl Anderson and Mike Spatafore.

Vineland’s other team, coached by Mary Banko, will be competing in the “Tag Em” event. Team members are Paul Cohen, Lauren Banko, Jessica Dzindzio, Elye Schenk, Christina Rivera, Brianna Pabon, and Nick Banko. The team qualified for a trip to the World Finals with its performance in the N.J. Regional and State finals.

In “Tag Em”, the team's problem is to design, build, and run one, two, or three small vehicles that will make trips and get "tagged" within a Tagging Zone for score. The team will create tags and a system to remotely place them onto the vehicle. To receive maximum score for a trip, a vehicle will have one tag successfully placed on it and will continue traveling into a Home Area. The team will present a performance that incorporates the running and tagging of the vehicle.

In “The Large and Small of It”, teams must create and present an original performance that integrates team-created Small Pages and Large Versions that change appearance. The method used to make the Large Versions change appearance will simulate the methods used to change the Small Pages. One of these methods must be technical. The Large Versions will serve as stage sets for the performance. During the performance a character will also appear to dramatically change in size. This effect will be created using technical means.

Both teams have been working on their projects since September. The pace has intensified to include daily work and practice in the last several weeks.

Going to the World Finals is “awesome and exciting,” said Giocondo. “It is fun to go to the competition when everyone knows you are important.”

“I have been involved with OM teams from elementary school,” said Cohen. “We have a good group of students who are freshmen, sophomores and seniors”.

The competition continues through Saturday. Results will be posted online as soon as they become available.