The Stratford Landing Elementary School’s 5th grade Odyssey of the Mind team members are Nicholas Greve, Rhys Shallbetter, Lukas Brokamp, Lindsay Johnson, Jenna Mulvihill, Mary Bell, and Lily Penn.
Mount Vernon — Stratford Landing Elementary School’s 5th grade Odyssey of the Mind team, coached by Terri Bell, has qualified to go to the World Finals in Ames, Iowa. Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students ages Kindergarten through college. The team worked on their problem in the category of Weird Science. They came in first in their division at the regional competition, which was held at West Potomac High School, and also came in first at the state finals in Newport News on April 14. The team was also the only team, out of 108 competing at the state level, that was given the Ranatra Fusca award, which is presented to a team that demonstrates exceptional creativity at the competition.
The World Finals will be held at Iowa State University from May 23-26. The team will be one of hundreds of teams from across the United States and from over 25 countries throughout the world. It will cost over $9,000 to finance the team's registration costs, travel expenses and room and board over the 4-day competition.
The team members are Nicholas Greve, Rhys Shallbetter, Lukas Brokamp, Lindsay Johnson, Jenna Mulvihill, Mary Bell, and Lily Penn. They are in the process of raising funds to help get them to Iowa. If interested in donating, send checks, made out to Stratford Landing PTA (with OM noted on the check), to Stratford Landing PTA, attn: Terri Bell (OM), 8484 Riverside Road, Alexandria, VA 22308. All donations are tax deductible.