Rowe School - Odyssey of the Mind World Finals

Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition that requires students to work together to build, write, design, perform and above all else, work as a TEAM to solve a problem within set parameters. This year, Amanda C. Rowe Elementary in Portland, Maine sent their first teams to the state tournament. After over three months of hard work, our Technical Team ended up placing first in the competition!

Our kids put in a lot of effort on their project, from designing a Rube Goldberg-esque device to crack and fry an egg, to learning how to use power tools to build it, to writing a script to present their machine to a panel of judges and an audience. Their confidence and collaborative skills have grown so much from when we started in December. We are so proud of them, and they are excited to continue their journey by attending the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at Michigan State University at the end of May.

We would love for them to continue their journey, but need help getting them to Michigan. The minimum cost per person (2 coaches and 7 students) is approximately $800 including registration, housing, food, and transportation.

It's been quite a few years since a Portland-based school has gone to the finals, and it has never happened at Rowe. Please help us make this dream a reality for our kids and an accomplishment for the Portland educational community. Any support you can provide is appreciated.