A talented team of fourth- and fifth-grade problem-solvers from Montoursville Area School District are headed to the state Odyssey of the Mind competition on April 5.

The team earned its spot in the state finals after securing a first-place finish during the recent North Central PA Odyssey of the Mind Regional Competition.

The team, nicknamed by the students as “Fast & Curious,” is made up of MASD students Abigail Berkheiser, Grace Coppadge, Mercer Double, Ari Hurwitz, Anderson Mertes, Parker Miller and Wesley Rauch, and is coached by Ken Weiss and Janet Hurwitz. It is the first time any of the students have participated in OM, and is also the first OM team MASD has sponsored in many years, making their outstanding performance and first-place finish all the more impressive.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international, creative problem-solving competition that challenges students to develop innovative solutions to complex problems in the areas of engineering, performance, and design. Teams spend the entire school year designing a solution to their selected “problem” which they then present at competitions held around the world each spring. All elements of a team’s solution must accomplish specific tasks within strict guidelines and on a tight budget and all ideas and creations must be the students’; assistance from non-team members, including from coaches, parents, teachers, etc., is not allowed. There is also a “spontaneous” portion of the competition that requires the team to think on their feet under pressure.

Team Fast and Curious was part of Division 1 and chose to work on “Problem 1: Vehicle: The OM-Mazing Race.” To successfully complete this problem, the team had to use their creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking skills to: One, design, build and operate an all-terrain vehicle that transported a rider to three team-created destinations and overcame physical obstacles; two, design and build a physical set, decorations and costumes; and three, write and perform an original script.

Reflecting on his experience so far, team member Rauch said, “I’ve learned that truly anything is possible when you work as a team … because anyone can be confident with friends.”

His teammate Coppadge said participating in OM helped her learn “to speak up more and not be afraid to show my true self.”

“I wanted to join OM because I thought it would give my brain a challenge and the thought of creativity made me excited, she said. “I really enjoyed learning how to work problems out with my team and sharing stories with them and having fun.”

“Just because you face an obstacle doesn’t mean you should give up,” said Hurwitz.

And, as coach Weiss observed, “It’s amazing what 9- and 10-year olds can come up with and carry out all on their own. To earn a spot at States is a huge accomplishment, especially since it’s the first time any of these students have participated in OM.”

The Pennsylvania State Finals on April 5 will be held at the Pocono Mountain School District’s East Campus, where the team will compete against 12 other top-performing teams from across the state for a chance to qualify for the World Finals at Michigan State University in late May. More information can be found at ncpaodyssey.org and paodyssey.com.