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Three WASD Odyssey of the Mind teams advance to state finals

Williamsport Area School District ›  |  Posted on

Three of the five Williamsport Area School District (WASD) Odyssey of the Mind teams that competed in the Regional Tournament on March 2 in Berwick are headed to the State Finals — all on first-place wins.

This year’s contending teams from WASD were represented by Cochran Primary School, Curtin Intermediate School, Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School, Williamsport Area Middle School and Williamsport Area High School.

Those advancing to the State Finals are:

  • Curtin Intermediate: First Place, Division II, “Opening Night Antics,” coached by Amy Harpster and Kelly Campbell. Team members: McKay Campbell, Hadley Diemer, Piper Fox, Alexander Frank, Haddie Harpster, and Charlie Vanaskie.
  • Williamsport Area Middle School: First Place, Division II, “Rocking World Detour” coached by Adam Harpster, Amy Harpster and Melanie Vail. Team members:  Cooper Gutberlet, Brayden Harpster, Haddie Harpster, Alex Vail and Ben Whitnack.
  • Williamsport Area Middle School: First Place, Division III, “Opening Night Antics,” coached by Spring Moore and Kendra Reeder. Team Members: Ava Carter, Cooper Gutberlet, Asher McClelland, Faye Moore, Mason Robinson and Daniel Turner.

“This year’s group of students was a blend of new faces and returning team members,” said Williamsport Area High School teacher Spring Moore, who serves as the district’s OM coordinator. “It’s always exciting to watch how the kids showcase their creativity to uniquely and innovatively develop a solution using dedication and teamwork. They should all be very proud for representing our district so well.”

While they competed, primary teams do not advance to the State Finals. Those teams and their placements from WASD were:

  • Cochran Primary School: First Place, Division II, “The Night Life,” coached by Bryn Allen, Spring Moore and Kat Walter. Team Members: Freya Allen, Felix Fisher, Flynn Moore, Lucas Morrow, Anneliese Walter and Cameron Walter.
  • Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School: Fourth Place, Division I, “Rocking World Detour,” coached by Kate McDermott Paredes and Kendra Reeder. Team members: Brantley Bankert, Owen Berger, Timbre Darrow, Addyson Harrison, Gabe Harer and Layla Harer.

The state tournament is scheduled for April 6 at Pocono Mountain School District’s East Campus.

OM teams from WASD have been successful at the programs regional and state levels, having earned coveted spots at the World Final competitions for the last nine consecutive years.

Odyssey of the Mind is a competition that blends creativity, engineering and teamwork. It is 100 percent student-directed, with adult coaches acting as guides.