BCHS Odyssey Team Impresses at New York State Finals, Heads to World Finals

The Bethlehem Central High School Odyssey of the Mind team has achieved an impressive feat by placing 2nd at the New York State Odyssey Finals tournament in Syracuse. The team, consisting of Jeremy Cintron Ortiz, Bridger Lewis, Stephanie Piccolo, Nex Cridlig, Rayne Beiter, and Sierra Obernesser, will now advance to the World Finals at Iowa State University in May.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international problem-solving competition for students in grades kindergarten through 12. Teams work together to solve challenges using both traditional and non-traditional methods, incorporating props, costumes, acting, and humor into their solutions.

One of the challenges the BCHS team faced was designing and building a balsa wood structure that could hold as much weight as possible. Despite their structure only weighing 14 grams, it successfully held over 300 pounds during a humorous performance at the tournament. This showcased their creativity and ingenuity in finding unique solutions to problems.

In addition to the high school team, four teams from the middle school also competed at the NY State Finals tournament. One of these teams took 3rd place in their problem and division. This demonstrates that Odyssey of the Mind is not limited to high school students but is open to all grade levels who are passionate about problem-solving and creativity.

Congratulations to all the BC Odyssey teams and their coordinator Rebecca Beiter on this remarkable achievement! For those interested in learning more about Odyssey of the Mind or how to get involved with a local team, feel free to email Rebecca Beiter at rbeiter@bethlehemschools.org. Best of luck to the BCHS Odyssey team as they prepare for their next challenge – representing New York State at the World Finals in Iowa!