AUBURN – Many Auburn students are participating in the Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination creative problem-solving programs.
Both international programs develop skills in team-building, leadership and divergent thinking in technical and performance areas. The process for students involves working with no more than seven on a team to invent a creative and innovative solution to given problems. All problems list guidelines to be followed.
The division Destination Imagination teams met at Edward Little High School on March 6 to compete for the honor of going to the state finals at the University of Maine in Orono on Saturday, April 3.
Those winners will go to the global finals May 26 to 29 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Odyssey of the Mind students will compete at Bates College, Lewiston, also on April 3, to qualify for international competition at world finals May 28 to 31 at the University of Maryland, College Park.
The Auburn Middle School “UpBeat Improv” Destination Imagination team is coached by Rich Byard and Ross Leavitt. The team is comprised of Britnee Ward, Ian Mulligan, Teresa Ranucci, Ivy Mowry, Meredith Byard, Rebeccah Leavitt and Kristen Erickson.
The team placed first in its division and will go to state competition in Orono. The problem required the team to create a six-minute improvisational skit.
Another competing Auburn Middle School team, coached by Sherri Tibbetts, included Bruce Gerry, Sarah Thompson, Michael Peitersen and Naomi Johnson, who worked on “The Plot and the Pendulum.”
Two Lake Street teams participated in the Destination Imagination elementary level, working on Cartoon Dimensions, which required the team to create original cartoon characters and a story about their adventure.
The team, coached by Jeff Soifer and Laurie Tannenbaum, included Max Soifer, Zachary Tannenbaum, Emma Bragdon, Katelyn Major, Keegan Kane and Ben Foster.
Cathy Wilson managed the other Lake Street team, comprised of Ian Wilson, Nathan Mulligan, Adam Robinson, Collum Freedman, Allaire Lever and Katie Hummes.
Odyssey of the Mind Teams representing Auburn Middle and Webster schools in the April 3 at Bates College competition include:
Division II, “Featured Creature”: Sam Armstrong, Olivia Welch, Tanya Gagne, Shea Blair, Deacon Lasagna and John Bedette, coached by Susan O’Connor Welch and Andrea Eusden.
Division II, “Fantastic Art”: Hanna Mogensen, Clark Chamberlin, Jake Farrago, Hope Wilson, Karen Leary and Emily Dodge, coached by Mark Mogensen and Alice Chamberlin.
Division I, “Featured Creature”: Ben Armstrong, Lauren Bennett, Caroline Dunn, Megan Howes, Nicole LaRue, Jessica Fournier, Michael Weber, coached by Andy Eusden and Susan Dunn.
Division I, “Fantastic Art”: Breanna Rasmussen, Melissa Brown, Kelsey Letourneau, Emily Deveau, Kelsey Philbrick, Emily Ranucci and Haley McConnell, coached by Susan Brown.
Division I, “Fantastic Art”: Phoebe Chamberlin, Meaghan Poirier, Hannah Fournier, Katherine Millett, Mallory Morneau, Emily Trafton and Katherine Whitaker, coached by Beth Sheppard and Amy Drinkwater.
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