What is Odyssey of the Mind?

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition for students of all ages. Teams of students select a problem, create a solution, then present their solution in a competition. There are many nuances of the program that are explained in the Program Guide, but here are some of the basics of participation:

Students work in teams of up to seven members under the guidance of an adult coach.
Teams spend weeks or months, at their own pace, creating solutions to long-term problems. This includes Style enhancements.
Team members come up with all the ideas for their solution and do all the work themselves. Coaches may help teach skills and educate the team on ways of approaching the problem and of evaluating their solution.
Teams work within the cost limit stated in the problem.
Teams have 8 minutes to present their long-term problem solution in competition.
Teams are scored for meeting the requirements of the problem and for creativity in categories specific to each problem. At the competition teams are presented a spontaneous problem to solve on site.

Odyssey of the Mind - Texas is 100% volunteer based. If you are new to the program, here are some ways you can get involved.

Membership Coordinators are volunteers who act as liaison and help promote the program within a school.
Coaches are volunteers who help guide the team throughout the academic year, to bring the results to competition.
Judges are volunteers who come to competition to observe all the teams present their solution and help score the presentations.
Administrative assistants are volunteers who help the behind-the-scene organization.
Association Board Members are also volunteers who keep the program together and provide a direction for the Texas Chapter.

Southlake Dragons Mission

The mission of Southlake Dragons Odyssey of the Mind is to administer, promote, and execute the guidelines, objectives, and rules of the Odyssey of the Mind program. The Southlake Dragons OM Association follows the guidelines set in the state by our bylaws, policies, and procedures. The organization is here for the support and guidance of the association members, volunteers, and students within the Odyssey of the Mind program.

International Mission

The International mission of Odyssey of the Mind is to provide creative problem-solving opportunities for everyone and to foster original and divergent thinking. Through the Odyssey of the Mind program, coaches, parents, judges, and volunteers promote creativity by challenging teams to solve divergent problems, that is, those with more than one solution. By working in teams, participants learn teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, the appreciation and understanding of divergent views, and that a group can be a powerful thinking force. Students who participate develop a sense of self-respect and respect for others through the development of their solutions, and through preparatory activities such as brainstorming and role-playing.

While the ultimate goal for most teams is to present their problem solutions in official competitions, this is not a requirement of participation. The purpose of the program is to provide students with an exciting learning experience that promises to be challenging and fun.

Program History

The Odyssey of the Mind has its roots in the Industrial Design classes of Dr. Sam Micklus, Odyssey of the Mind founder. As a professor at Rowan University in New Jersey (formerly Glassboro State College), Dr. Micklus challenged his students to create vehicles without wheels, mechanical pie throwers, and flotation devices that would take them across a course on a lake. He evaluated them not on the success of their solutions, but on the ingenuity applied and the risk involved in trying something new and different. Students had fun. Word spread and the students’ activities attracted attention from the local media. Soon, people on the outside wanted a part of the action. This public interest led to the development of a creative problem-solving competition for school children. The Odyssey of the Mind was on its way. Since then, Dr. Micklus’s life has been happily consumed with developing problems for other people to solve. His rewards are in the joy and pride of the millions of participants who rise to the challenge of solving those problems.