Two Odyssey of the Mind (OM) teams from Leelanau County that progressed to the OM World Finals at the University of Maryland last week ended up in the middle of the pack in their respective "problem" areas and age categories.

Two teams from Shanghai, China, took first place in the technically-challenging “Tee Structure” problem selected by the Leland students – a problem which called on the third through sixth graders to design and build a structure of balsa wood and glue that supports golf balls and weights.

A Division II team of seven fifth- and sixth-graders from Leland took 20th place in a field of 46 teams from six countries solving the same problem, while a Division I team of seven third and fourth graders from Leland took 14th place in a field of 43 schools from five countries solving the problem. Their structures held 390 and 395 pounds, respectively, before they failed. The students were also required to perform a creative skit with costumes and props while weights were being applied to their structures, and solve a series of “spontaneous” problems involving word games, physical puzzles, or a combination of mental and “hands-on” challenges.
A Division I team from the Changzhou Siefang School in Shanghai, China ended up building a structure that held 730 pounds, while a Division II team from the Deija International School in Shanghai built a structure that held 865 pounds. Both took first place in their respective age categories and problem areas.

More than 800 OM teams from all 50 states in the U.S. plus 15 foreign countries participated in the OM World Finals in Maryland. This is the fourth year in a row that teams coached by Leland parents Jenni Henderson and Neal Fellows have advanced through regional and state competitions to the OM World Finals, held last year at Michigan State University. Some 16,000 people attended the final award ceremony at the University of Maryland on June 3.

In addition to competing in their problem areas, children also attended several events where they were encouraged to interact with each other, trading souvenir OM pins from around the country and the world. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration played a major role in the OM World Finals this year, with officials from the NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center in Maryland providing a variety of displays, demonstrations and educational materials for the students.

The Division I team from Leland Public School coached by Neal and Deb Fellows included third graders Olivia Fellows, Remi Masse and Abigail Stroh, and fourth graders Elijah Berg, Brennan Flohe, Jamie McFarlane and Danielle Merwin.

The Divison II team from Leland Public School coached by Jenni and John Henderson included sixth graders Christian Doran, Liam Stevenson and Autumn Decker, and fifth graders Anna Bahle, Gunnar Carlson, David Grzbienik and Tristan Peabody.