BIDDEFORD – Among the 48 teams representing Divisions I, II, and III at the Maine State Odyssey of the Mind (OM) State Finals Tournament last weekend, four of the six Biddeford teams placed in the top three of their divisions in the competition.

 Both the Biddeford High School (BHS) and Biddeford Middle School (BMS) Technical Teams were named State Champions and World Finalists, while the BMS Drama Team placed second and qualified for Worlds, and the Biddeford Intermediate School (BIS) Team placed third.  There were teams from BMS and BIS that were pirates and built a vehicle; they placed fourth and ninth in the state, respectively.

The Biddeford Primary School (BPS) and John F. Kennedy School (JFK) Teams also participated as dinosaurs in a parade and enjoyed their first experience at a state tournament. Although they did not receive scores for their competition, they learned how to perform in front of an audience and answer questions from the judges.

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative, problem-solving, extra-curricular program involving students from kindergarten through college. Teams of up to seven students work together at length, with limited guidance from a coach, to solve a predefined long-term problem and present their solution to the problem at a competition. In the last year alone, the Biddeford OM program has grown by 56% in student participation with teams led by coaches Suzanne Tighe, K-5 Gifted and Talented Teacher at BIS, and Victoria Salo, Biddeford’s OM District Coordinator and Science Teacher at BHS.

"We are so proud of all the students for working so well collaboratively and thinking outside the box to continually place at the State Tournament and proceed on to the World Finals,” said Salo.  “Now, we focus on solving our biggest challenge of this achievement– fundraising to attend the World Finals in May at Michigan State University.  As a group, we host various fundraisers because this is a significant cost for many of our families.  We hope community members will support our OM students by attending, and sharing, our events on Facebook, or making a donation directly to the program.”

Division II State Champions included BMS students Kyleigh Froehlich, Thomas Rainey, Harvey Giddings, Marcus Perkins, Cordelia Kane, Kyle Perkins, and Cali Jacques, coached by Jessica Larson. Division III State Champions included BMS eighth-grader Emma Cote and BHS students Ella Ireland, Layla Keddy, Eva Aranovitch, Emily Michael, and graduating senior, Dexter Roberge, coached by Suzanne Tighe. 

Both Technical teams solved a “Because iCan“ problem, which tasked each team to create a performance involving an overly complicated machine to complete a very simple task.  As part of the problem, the teams needed to write their own script, design and create their own scenery, costumes, props, and a multi-round Rube Goldberg Machine powered by indirect human power without any adult assistance. 

 

Biddeford High School’s Technical Team named Maine State Odyssey of the Mind State Champions and World Finalists.  Left to right: Ella Ireland, Layla Keddy, Dexter Roberge, Eva Aranovitch, Emily Michael, and Emma Cote.  SUBMITTED PHOTO

Division I second-place winners, who also qualified for World Finals, included BMS students Anthony Ramunno, Becket Jacques, Wyatt Harper, Bentley Hale, Harrison Buchanan, Owen Crockett, and Cooper Crockett, coached by Karen Ramunno. This Drama team competed in Problem 5, “The Most Dramatic Problem Ever,” where the team created an original humorous performance about a dramatic character that overreacts to three common events and created a costume that represents two characters along with using Arm and Hammer baking soda in their skit.

BHS team member, Eva Aranovitch, won the pin design contest this year. The pin set will represent all teams in the State of Maine as their state pin.

“I am excited to go to World Finals to see how the pins that I designed for the State will trade with other states and countries. This will be my third year going to Worlds,” she said.

In the last decade, Biddeford OM teams have expanded from two teams in 2017 to eight teams across the district.  Since 2015, Biddeford teams have placed among the top three at the state tournament and moved on to the World Finals every year since 2015. In 2021, Biddeford Middle School’s team of eighth graders was the first team to be awarded the Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award, which recognizes a team or individual for demonstrating outstanding creativity.

Fundraisers to date have included Family Fun Days, yard sales, Drop and Shop events, baked sales, and calendar fundraisers. To be kept informed of upcoming fundraisers, follow the Biddeford Odyssey of the Mind Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/biddOotM .  To make a contribution to the OM program directly, checks can be made payable to Biddeford High School with Odyssey of the Mind noted in the Memo Field and mailed to 20 Maplewood Avenue, Biddeford, ME 04005.  All funds raised will support both BHS and BMS students attending the OM World Finals.