AUBURN – The Webster Intermediate School team from Auburn will travel in May to the University of Colorado, Boulder, for the Odyssey of the Mind 2005 World Finals, an international problem-solving competition for students of all ages. The team earned a place at World Finals by coming in first at the Maine State Odyssey of the Mind Association Finals on April 2 at Bates College.

The team of seven students solved the long-term problem, Laugh-a-Thon. Their solution was chosen as the most creative in their category and involved a take-off on the television game show “Jeopardy” populated by fairy tale characters.

Team members are Ben Bowles, Nigel Bowles, Phoebe Chamberlin, Annie Gill, Dylan Newell and Katherine Whitaker. They are in the fourth and fifth grade. Their coach is Beth Sheppard. Although this is the first year the team has participated in Odyssey of the Mind, it is Sheppard’s second team to go to World Finals, continuing a history of representation by Auburn teams at the event.

World Finals is a major educational event. Nearly 800 teams will come from throughout the U.S. and about 20 other countries to compete. Of those, only 15 or so will claim the title of World Champion of Creative Problem-Solving.

The team is raising money to support the trip. A performance will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 27, at the school involving several creativity teams who took part in the Odyssey of the Mind and Destination Imagination programs. The program is open to the public free, but donations will be accepted to help the team trip.

Anyone wishing to aid the effort may do so by contacting Carrie Beaulieu at the Auburn School Department at cbeaulieu@auburnschl.edu or 784-6431.

To learn more, go to www.odysseyofthemind.com.


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