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All in the Mind: Competitive Problem-Solving

Posted on: Tuesday, 28 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Diane Mouskourie, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

Mar. 28--The pink tights, purple shorts and yellow sneakers Meredith McDonald was wearing screamed 1980s.

But Meredith, a sixth-grader at Northwoods Park Middle School, isn't living in the past -- she's just portraying it.

She took on the role of The Bloke in a skit called "The Jungle Bloke," which was part of the regional Odyssey of the Mind Competition.

Evidently Meredith and her team of fellow sixth-graders acquitted themselves with aplomb. They placed first in that competition, which was held March 11 at Northside High School. The team from Dixon Elementary School also placed first and will join Northside and second-place teams from Silverdale and Swansboro elementary schools at the state competition on April 1 at Appalachian State University in Boone.

During the regionals, Northwoods students had to create a long-term solution to a short-term problem and illustrate it in an 8-minute skit they had to choreograph themselves.

In "The Jungle Bloke," the Bloke, who has the ability to talk with and understand jungle animals, had to be part of the solution. And all or part of the students' performance had to be set in the jungle. They were given $125 for supplies. They built a tree with a hole in it, painted it and made their costumes from easily found items at home.

"The costumes really tell you who the players are," Spencer said.

Knowing they have a confidante, the animals tell the Bloke about an existing problem and recruit his or her help in solving it.

Spencer Howard played Andrew McCarthy, Olivia Lanier played Olivia the Orangutan; Rachael Tuton played Samantha the Sloth, Kassiane Patselas played Lauren the Lemur and Tyler Marks played Bo the Boa.

The skit revolved around Andrew McCarthy, who had taken over the jungle animals using mind control. Meredith, as the Bloke, had to regain control of the animals' minds.

At first the students said they had a hard time coming up with a way to solve the problem.

"We weren't getting it so we started brainstorming," Rachael said. "Then everyone had their own ideas and we began sharing."

This was the third year Meredith competed in Odyssey of the Mind. The other two years were at Parkwood Elementary School.

"This was the most under pressure I ever felt," she said about the recent competition. "Before I always thought we'd win, but this time I thought another team had first place."

So when they called the other team's name out as being the second-place winner, Meredith thought for sure her team had lost.

"But we had a large section of fans, people cheering us on," she said.

Northwoods Park teacher Lacee Zornes served as the students' school sponsor. Bill Howard, Spencer's father, served as the coach for the Howards' second year of competition.

Bill Howard kept the Parkwood kids together from last year and added three more kids.

"It was great; they already had the experience and knew what was going to happen," he said. "They were not nervous at all because they were prepared."

Yet even though the students say the competition is tough, it always remains respectful.

"I think we all learned how to be ourselves," Olivia said. "As a group we learned to express ourselves and our characters."

Tyler seemed the most excited.

"When it came time for the judges to announce the winners, we jumped up we were so happy," he said. "I was running around. It took me forever to go to bed that night because it was such a perfect day for me and my family."

Zorne, who has served as a judge and an assistant coach in previous years, said teams are picked using references from teachers. The students met and practiced once a week after school for about 2½ hours.

"It teaches the kids how to think outside the box," Zorne said. "I love it because it's all about the kids. The adults are there only as guides."

Contact staff writer Diane Mouskourie at dmouskourie@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, Ext. 235.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Daily News, Jacksonville, N.C.

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Source: The Daily News

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