Thomas sixth-graders qualify for the Odyssey of the Mind world championship with a skit about a leggy pink bird.
By HILLARY DAVIS
Arizona Daily Sun
April 20, 2009
PHOTO: The Odyssey of the Mind team from Thomas Elementary School pose for a photo with "Chamingo" the chubby Flamingo. Pictured from left to right are: Gavin Smith, Sarah Ralston, Emilio Ferrara, Mario Gomez, Brooke Story and Seth Genandt.
FLAGSTAFF - Thomas Elementary School sixth-graders are taking on the world on the wings of a flamingo.
Five students acted out the leggy pink bird in a skit that had a marionette dancing along with two girls and impressing Odyssey of the Mind judges so much that the team, and their paper-feathered friend, are soon going on to the intellectual competition's world stage. Thomas is one of seven teams that northern Arizona is sending to the May world championships at Iowa State University. Three teams from Northland Preparatory Academy and one team each from DeMiguel, Grand Canyon and Cornerstone Christian Academy, along with Thomas, qualified for the problem-solving contest.
Odyssey of the Mind -- OotM if you prefer acronyms -- draws on strengths from both the so-called left and right brains, requiring creativity in engineering, verbal skills and performance flair.
CHAMINGO THE FLAMINGO
"We're nervous about two things," said Thomas team member Mario Gomez. "We're gonna get last, or the strings will break."
Teacher and coach Marcia Lescault has already planned for that, promising to pack a kit of spray glue and spare bits and pieces for the fragile puppet.
The puppet, named Chamingo the Chubby Flamingo, is a nearly full-scale papier-mache model given lifelike movements with articulated joints. His snappy beak is a repurposed soda bottle, and his plumage is made out of paper Easter grass.
Skits with thoughtfully designed, hand-built props do well in OotM. But Chamingo so impressed judges that they awarded the special Ranatra Fusca creativity award to the Thomas squad, giving them their first Worlds appearance in school history.
Lescault agreed that her team was tops in creativity. "Of course, I'm prejudiced," she smiled.
Chamingo is the namesake star in the "Teach Yer Creature" problem, which requires students to write a humorous skit about a mechanical creature that acts like a real mammal or bird and learns lessons.
In their 6 1/2- minute sketch, one girl gives another dance lessons while Chamingo, puppeteered by three classmates, boogies along in the background.
"Teach Yer Creature" was one of five options.
Another problem, dubbed "Earth Trek," was the preferred challenge for the DeMiguel team.
Parent coach John McCartney said Earth Trek is the hardest problem.
OUTSTANDING CREATIVITY
Mario and all of his teammates are students in Lescault's pull-out gifted program. The boisterous, brainy bunch seems to enjoy the spontaneity in exercises like Odyssey of the Mind skits.
"Doing these projects tends to allow them more freedom of thought," Lescault said.
The Ranatra Fusca award, so named for the stick-like water scorpion insect, is not given away if the judges don't see a project that warrants it. That wasn't the case at this year's state contest.
"This was an example of truly outstanding creativity and excellence in execution of a design plan, and showed design skills heads and shoulders above what students years older could accomplish," wrote one judge.
"This team is awesome and I think we're gonna go all the way," Mario said.
AIRFARE NEEDED
At this level of competition, OotM players must devote plenty of time to practice. They also have to find money, and no small amount.
The Thomas PTO will pay for the team and chaperones' room and board, but the students still need to raise at least $4,300 for airfare. Lescault said more would be nice to offset incidentals and souvenirs. They have made a few dollars with a hat day but more fundraisers are forthcoming.
Thomas principal Thomas Ziegler and his wife have already set aside their $400 maximum tax credit for his students, even though he usually donates in December. He's hoping other families will support intellectual competition and do the same.
"It won't take long if we get a few members of the community behind us," he said.
Hillary Davis can be reached at hdavis@azdailysun.com or 556-2261.
A few ways to give
Make a tax credit donation to the team of your choice. Write a check to the school and put "Odyssey (grade), 2009" on the memo line. Singles can donate up to $200 and married couples filing jointly can file up to $400.
Make a non-tax credit cash donation to the team of your choice.
Visit a local restaurant. On Thursday, Sizzler, 3540 E. Route 66, will donate 20 percent of proceeds to both the De Miguel and Thomas teams. If you go between 5:30 and 7 p.m., you can meet the kids, who will be clearing tables.
And on May 1, Granny's Closet, 218 S. Sitgreaves St. (off Milton Road), will donate 20 percent of their take to the De Miguel crew. A special flier is required; e-mail flagcabin4@msn.com for a copy.
