A team of students from Douglas MacArthur Elementary School has been named World Champions after winning first place in the 2017 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Michigan State University over the weekend.
MacArthur 5th graders Henry Anderson, Keira Bosland, Tate Fagan, Miriam Gortner, Walker Kopp, and Anna Mouthrop took first prize for their problem-solving and creativity skills in a field of teams from 20 countries that included Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, and across the United States.
The MacArthur team won their place in the Michigan final by placing first in the state. They then went on to complete against 69 other teams for the first place spot. A team from George Washington Middle School also won a place in the World Final, placing ninth in their field of 72 teams in the World Finals.
It was a creative extravaganza where more than 850 teams from all around the world shared their ideas and work with only a few earning a trophy. The MacArthur team did exceptionally well. It was incredible to see them awarded first place in front of a crowd of 18,000 people,” said MacArthur Talented and Gifted teacher Jennifer Street, who organizes the school’s participation on the competition.
Founded in 1978, Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition that challenges teams to go beyond conventional thinking and engage in creative problem-solving. Team members spend months working together to apply their creativity, knowledge, and talents to solve problems that range from designing and building vehicles, to presenting their own interpretation of classic artwork, to scripting comedic performances that involve complex costume and scene changes. Team members work on their problem without outside assistance from parents, teachers, coaches, or other students.
This is the first time any school from ACPS has placed at States and subsequently qualified for World Finals, let alone go on to win their event.
As these were our first ACPS teams to attend World Finals, this win is huge for them. Having only gotten Odyssey off the ground in ACPS in 2010, to having World Champs in 2017, we’re beyond proud of these kids and thankful for the community support that made this trip happen,” Street said.
The MacArthur team was coached by parent Eve Anderson, while Julie Bosland and Patrice Gotsch coached George Washington’s seventh-grade team of Savannah Anderson, Cooper Bosland, Zachary Bosland, Cassie Gortner, Ethan Gotsch, Ava Moulthrop, and Cade Stinson.