Odyssey of the Mind

Odyssey of the Mind is a fun global creativity competition that teaches imaginative paths to problem-solving.
The creative problem-solving process rewards thinking "outside of the box." The main rule of OM, is "IF it doesn't say you can't, that means you CAN!"Piedmont has fielded award winning teams in the past and are bringing back this competition in the 2013-2014 school year.WE WANT YOU TO:

• think divergently
• identify challenges
• solve open-ended problems creatively
• be free to express your ideas without fear of criticism.

Each year, five new competitive problems are presented for the teams to solve. These long-term problems are solved over weeks and months. Some of the problems are more technical in nature, while others are artistic or performance based.

Each long-term problem rewards "Style" in the solution.-Students should not simply try to solve problems but take the next step of enhancing their solutions. 

The teams are invited to participate in competition and present their solution with other teams. At the competition, the teams are given an on-the-spot "spontaneous" problem to solve. The combination of long-term problem-solving, Style, and spontaneous problem-solving produces a confident, able student.

In Odyssey of the Mind . . .

• Students develop team-building skills by working in groups of as many as seven students per team.
• Students learn to examine problems and to identify the real challenge without limiting the possible solutions and their potential success.
• The creative-thinking process is nurtured and developed as a problem-solving tool.
• Students of all types will find something that will appeal to them.
• The fun of participation leads to an elevated interest in regular classroom curricula.
• Teachers have a program to further provide students with a well-rounded education.

Since the Odyssey of the Mind eliminates the fear of criticism, even shy students are afforded the opportunity to open up and express themselves. Students learn to work in teams.

More info from the source of this - www.odysseyofthemind.com