Richlands High School senior Shelby Fischler is closing an eight-year run with the Odyssey of the Mind program in a big way.
“It has been an eight-year process for me; almost a decade to get here,” she said as she and her teammates practiced for their biggest competition. “I want to take it all in. This is my last year and what a great way to walk away.”
The Richlands High School team is the first Richlands community school and the first Onslow County high school to progress to the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition.
With the world competition May 20-23 at Michigan State University, the team is working to fine-tune the performance that put them in the top two in the division.
The Odyssey of the Mind program teaches creative problem-solving methods in a fun setting. Students select a problem, and create and present a solution. There is not one right answer. Students are challenged to use their imagination to express ideas and suggestions.
Some problems are more technical and others are more performance-based. Students are responsible for the work, from writing scripts and painting scenery to developing themes and characters.
Richlands High School has four odyssey teams and team coach Justine Smith said they have all done well. This year, two of the teams made it to state.
Whether it’s the close-knit bond of the group or their broad range of talents, Smith said the team headed to the world competition has had that something special to make it happen.
“For the first time, everything just came together,” she said.
But one obstacle still is in their way. The team is raising money to pay for their trip to the competition. With tight deadlines to participate, Onslow County Schools has agreed to cover some of the expenses, but the team is looking at a number of remaining costs.
Because they will be traveling by train, the team must ship their props for the competition and there are also various tickets to purchase for the event, T-shirts for the competition and miscellaneous costs during their stay in Michigan.
An online account has been set up at GoFundMe.com/7f8xxs for those who would like to donate or help by sharing the information on Facebook or Twitter.
Nicole Horne, who also is a coach for team, also participated in Odyssey of the Mind as a student.
“As a student, you got to hang out with this whole range of people — great actors, artists who could paint anything, students who could make vehicles work,” Horne said. “There was a whole pool of talent working together to solve a problem. As a coach, it is great to see all those different talents come together and create one cohesive performance.”
The diversity of people and creativity involved in Odyssey of the Mind is what kept Fischler involved in the program right on through her senior year.
“Out of all the other clubs out there, I always felt this was the place for me,” she said.
The students on the Richlands High School team who are headed to the Odyssey of the Mind World Competition are: Matthew Hewitt, Jacinda Holmes, Omar Torres, Tolson Jeffrey, Shelby Fischler, Maximino Smith and KellyJohn Murray.
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