Oct 18, 2013 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – If you’re looking for a fun, creative and challenging program for your child that will help develop thinking “out of the box” while learning to work with others, build self-esteem and develop real-life skills, then you’ll want to attend the informational session, “Creative Problem Solving with Odyssey of the Mind,” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School.

For more than 30 years, Pennsylvania Odyssey of the Mind has provided creative problem-solving experiences for students from kindergarten to college seniors. Odyssey is an international program, with students participating throughout the United States and in Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, Korea and Japan.

Each year, students are offered five challenging problems to solve. They learn to work together in teams to find creative solutions to these problems. The solutions vary greatly, but are always presented in the form of an eight-minute performance that teams present at regional, state and world level competitions.

In solving the problems, students might build a vehicle that performs tasks, create a mechanical device, build a balsa wood structure to hold weight, craft a performance based on classic works of literature or the arts, or create a performance with a comedic situation. Odyssey of the Mind stretches the boundaries of creative thinking and productive problem solving. But most importantly, kids have fun while learning to express themselves creatively.

For more information about Odyssey of the Mind, or if you are planning to attend, email Tuesday’s speaker, State Director Linda Winegar, at paodyssey@gmail.com.