Aspen Elementary OMERs at World Finals. Courtesy/LAPS

LAPS News:

The Aspen Elementary School Odyssey of the Mind (OMERs) Division 2 team recently competed at the World Finals at Michigan State University. This is the first time the team has participated at this level of competition.

Team members Jocelyne Dolejsi, Kaya Wilson, Kai Bain-Zink, Evan Kolman, Zack Ramirez and Alea Kretz tied for 22nd out of over 60 teams. The team qualified for the World Finals by placing first in their division at the Colorado State Tournament held in April.

The team is coached by Aspen Elementary teachers (and husband and wife team) Vickie Daley and Matt Allen.

“Our goal was to ’not finish last’ and they achieved that goal,” Coach Daley said. “They tied with the Colorado team.”

Aspen Elementary has participated in Odyssey of the Mind competitions for the past five years and have garnered first place honors in the Colorado State Tournament for the last three years.

About Odyssey of the Mind:

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students and community group members of all ages. As noted on its website, Odyssey of the Mind has been the world’s greatest creative problem-solving program since its beginning, in 1978. What started as a project for students in a single industrial design class has grown into a world-wide program that has reached multiple generations, allowing students to learn, develop, and employ skills related to teamwork, resource management, designing and making, divergent thinking, and so much more. Odyssey of the Mind provides students with a place to learn today’s creative problem-solving skills while having fun.