Curtner's Odyssey of Mind World Finals Fundraiser

Hello! Our names are Aaniya, Atharv, Dhruvi, Issac, Krishang, Rishan and Tien and we are the Odyssey of the Mind team from Curtner Elementary School in Milpitas, CA

We have been competing in Odyssey of the Mind for regional and state competitions this year. After winning in our category at the 2023 state competition in CA earlier this Spring, we now go on to compete once again at the World Finals, in Michigan at the end of May! The World Finals will have teams from 25 countries worldwide.

We have been working extremely hard all year to prepare for this year’s competitions, creating an original play (including the script, sets, props, costumes, and makeup) with absolutely no help from adults and a budget of only $125 (because those are the rules!).

Getting all seven team members and our volunteer parent coach — along with all of our props, costumes, and sets — to the World Finals competition in Michigan this year (yep, Michigan) is no easy task, and it comes with a significant cost. We are hoping to raise money to help with the registration fees, lodging, meals, trailer rental (to transport sets/costumes/props), etc. The competition takes place from May 23-27, so we would like to have funding in place by May 15th.

Curtner Elementary School is a part of the Milpitas Unified School District and is located in Milpitas, CA. All of our practices are held outside of school hours, and we are coached by a parent volunteer. We are all involved in other school and community activities, so the many, many hours we have spent building sets, creating costumes, writing the script, and practicing our performance have been in addition to our other responsibilities and commitments.

We realize some people might never have heard of Odyssey of the Mind or do not understand exactly what it is, so we are including the official description as well as a link to their website for anyone who would like to know more:

"Odyssey of the Mind " is an international creative problem-solving program that engages students in their learning by allowing their knowledge and ideas to come to life in an exciting, productive environment. Participants build self-confidence, develop life skills, create new friendships, and can recognize and explore their true potential. OotM proves that students can have fun while they learn.” https://www.odysseyofthemind.com

The competitions consist of the performance of our original skit based on the exact set of required elements given (the "long-term problem") as well as the performance of the "spontaneous problem," in which teams are asked to perform random tasks on the spot with no prior preparation, such as creating a bridge out of unique materials that can support the weight. So, in effect, it's a great combination of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with the arts (STEAM)! It also requires a lot of teamwork and effective communication.

It is an honor once again to be one of the teams that will be competing at the World Finals and to represent MUSD Public Schools, and the state of California!

We sincerely appreciate any assistance, large or small, that you can provide as we prepare to make the journey to Michigan! All donations collected will be withdrawn at the end of our fundraising campaign and deposited into a bank account created by Prachiti Gaikwad(a team parent); these funds will then be distributed equally among the team members and volunteer parent coach. We thank you for your support!

Looking forward to your support !!