Getting Started – Coordinators’ Meetings

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SEPTEMBER 28 (Wednesday):  In-Person Coordinators’ Meeting, 7:00-8:00 PM, Campbell Elementary School, 737 S. Carlin Springs Rd. Arlington, VA 22204 (Enter in the back through Door 1) 

OCTOBER 4 (Tuesday):  Virtual Coordinators’ Meeting, Zoom from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Topic: NOVAEAST Odyssey of the Mind’s Coordinators’ Zoom Meeting

Time: Oct 4, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88246425243?pwd=b1VOeFdCSXhQSnhlSTY3V0dQLy9Xdz09

Whether you are a seasoned coordinator, a new one, or just someone who wants to find out a little bit more about Odyssey of the Mind,  we’d love to have you attend one of our upcoming meetings.  The in-person one is always great because it’s an easier place to ask questions and bounce around ideas.  That one will be held on Wednesday, September 28 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at Campbell Elementary School in Arlington.  Park in the back and enter through Door 1 by the playground. Plus, at that meeting, you can fill out an application for membership bundling.  If we get at least 11 schools who are willing to bundle, the fee will be reduced from $290 to $190 for all those schools.  Please consider doing that with us.  If we don’t have enough by October 7, those schools will need to register online at the higher price.  

Your 2nd coordinator meeting option is the Zoom Meeting next Tuesday, October 4 from 7:00-8:00 p.m.  The link is up above, and we will try to record this meeting to post on our website.  If after the meeting you are interested in getting a membership through bundling, you’ll need to quickly mail the form and check to Pamela Clark, 3229 St. Utah St. Arlington, VA 22206 to be received by Friday, Oct. 7.  Then if she has enough, she will send in those membership in a bundle.  If there are not enough, she will contact those coordinators to return checks.  

Membership Bundling

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MEMBERSHIP BUNDLING

One great way to save money on your Odyssey of the Mind membership for your school or organization is through bundling, especially due to the price increases. If Nova East gets 11 or more applications and payments and sends them in all at once, we can get a price of $190 per membership which is as low as it gets. Pamela Clark, Nova East’s Co-Director will agree to send them inon October 1st which is the Saturday after our Wednesday coordinator meeting on Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at Campbell Elementary School in Arlington. You may print the pdf by clicking the red button at the bottom of this page of the website https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/join/, fill it out and bring it to the meeting, fill out a copy at the meeting, or mail it to Pamela Clark bySept. 29  if you don’t plan to attend. 

Pamela Clark

3229 S. Utah St.

Arlington, VA 22206

She will email to confirm that she has received it as soon as she gets it, and she will let everyone know if we don’t have at least eleven for a bundle. If that happens, she would arrange to return any checks/forms, and you would need to pay the $290/membership.

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Coordinators’ Meeting

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If you are coordinating Odyssey of the Mind for your school or organization, we will be having a Coordinators’ Meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at Campbell Elementary School in Arlington at 7:00 p.m. We will discuss what a coordinator does to get an Odyssey of the Mind program rolling at their school. The entrance to the school is Door 1 in the back of the school near the playground. Hope to see you then!

Attention All Current, Former, and Future OMERs!

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Take a look at the 2022-23 Long-Term Problem Synopses, and get excited about a more “normal” year in Odyssey of the Mind.  The prospects look good for having in-person tournaments this year, and we’re looking forward to seeing all the wonderful creativity IRL (in real life)!  We hope you’ll get excited about forming a team and kicking off your year in Odyssey of the Mind!  

Click to access 2023-Synopses.pdf

Coaches and Coordinators:  Membership Update

CCI has increased their membership fees this year to keep the program alive.  CCI has posted the membership rates here www.odysseyofthemind.com/join/   Earlier this year, CCI sent coupons directly to coaches of veteran teams that offered a discounted price. Coaches, please use those coupons if you received one.  

Hopefully, since we are back in person, schools will be motivated to jump back in!

We will have a Coordinators’ Meeting in late September, and we can see if we would have enough to bundle others for a reduced rate.  Please email, Pamela.Clark@apsva.us if you are interested or have questions.

World Final Dates Announced:

CCI is not planning to hold a Virtual World Finals this season.  In-person Odyssey of the Mind World Finals will be held! 

Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

May 24-27, 2023
at Michigan State University
in East Lansing, MI

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

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Congratulations to all the teams who participated in Odyssey of the Mind this year.  Our Virtual State Tournament is over, and World Finals, both virtual and in-person, are on the horizon.  Tonight our state director announced the winners for Virginia.  The results are posted in the results tab on our website. You can also find the results on the VOICES Virginia Odyssey of the Mind website along with information about World Finals.  https://vaodyssey.org/

Virginia Odyssey of the Mind 2022 Awards Ceremony

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Thank you very much for your patience as the Problem Captains, Head Judges and judges complete adjudicating scores and post them to Odyssey HQ. Please check your OdysseyHQ account and junk or spam folder for emails from OdysseyHQ.

Please ignore the following statement you may have received “You have until May 23rd to submit questions on your team scores.” This is a stray CCI statement from older tournaments. The VOICES tournament scores will be final at the time of our Award Ceremony.

We will post the Award Ceremony presentation to the VOICES website.
I will narrate the Award Ceremony using the presentation on April 1st at 7:00 pm EDT.
After the Ceremony, we will post to the VOICES website the raw scores and normalized scores for all teams.
At the end of the Ceremony, I will cover very important info on the Virtual World Finals and the In-Person World Finals.
We are almost ready to submit orders for production of the WF pins and T-shirts.
I will send T-shirt order forms to all teams that participated in the VOICES Virtual State Tournament.
I will send Pin order forms and WF T-shirt order forms to all teams qualifying to advance to the World Finals.

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Telecon info for the VOICES Award Ceremony

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://meet.goto.com/321192037

You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412

Access Code: 321-192-037

Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://meet.goto.com/install

Cheers,

Dave
Director, VOICES, Virginia Odyssey of the Mind

SPONTANEOUS COMPETITION

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Hopefully, you’re all heaving a huge sigh of relief now that your long-term submission for the Virginia tournament is behind you! Now it’s time for the Spontaneous Competition.  

You can access the 3 practice problems (in red) and see the link which appeared today where you can complete your Spontaneous Competition in Odyssey HQ.

Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2

When you log on to www.odysseyofthemind.com, Click on TEAMS -> Member Resources.  Scroll down, and enter your Team Login. You’ll be in Odyssey HQ which is where you uploaded your long term submissions.  (see screenshots above)

Here are some tips for your team:

1) Definitely make use of the practice problems posted in Odyssey HQ.  It will help your team feel comfortable when they do the actual competition because they will have had practice with the format.  

2) Remember, as the coach, you will be able to type their answers in exactly as they say them, and if they want you to change them before the time’s up, they can definitely do that.  

3) Decide how you want to do the Spontaneous Competition.  Some teams may work better on Zoom with the coach logged into Odyssey HQ and sharing their screen so all team members can see what the coach is typing, but other teams may want to be in the same room together to feed off each other’s energy.  They may write down ideas, too!  

4) Figure out a system so every team member gets to share their ideas.  You might want to have them go around in a circle or specific order so everyone gets equal chances to share their ideas.  Then at the end, they could evaluate and switch out or improve upon the ideas of the team before the time’s up.  If you let them all just shout out what they’re thinking during the competition, it’s likely some team members’ ideas will be missed.  

5) Have fun!  Spontaneous competition is so unique in that it’s a few minutes of stress and excitement, but then it’s over, and everyone can congratulate one another for the creative thinking they did as a team.  

Top Responses: Spontaneous Problem Week 12

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Problem: 1 + 1 + 2

Explain what happens when you put 2 things together. For example, you could say, “When you put blue and yellow together, you get green” or “When you put chocolate syrup with ice cream, you get a sundae.”

Response 1: Cardinal 3rd Graders, Squad of Creative Squirrels

Banana plus spinach for breakfast = Tantrum

Thanks to all of the teams who have submitted responses during the 2021-22 Odyssey of the Mind season!! 

Good luck to all!!

LAST MINUTE HELP WITH TEAM SUBMISSIONS

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The two attached documents with links which are posted below may be very helpful as you work to submit your videos and paperwork.  Please be aware that some links within the document will take you to a page with dates and submission links that are not for our VA State tournament. The information about our VA tournament and deadline dates is available here https://vaodyssey.org/wp-content/uploads/VOICES-Coaches-Info-Session-2-6Feb2022.pdf

the-videos-for-competitionDownload
submit-your-virtual-solutionDownload