BCHS Odyssey Team Soars to New Heights with 2nd Place at NY State Finals

The Bethlehem Central High School Odyssey of the Mind team has achieved an impressive feat by placing 2nd at the New York State Odyssey Finals tournament held in Syracuse. The team, comprised of Jeremy Cintron Ortiz, Bridger Lewis, Stephanie Piccolo, Nex Cridlig, Rayne Beiter, and Sierra Obernesser, will now move on to compete at the World Finals at Iowa State University in May.

Odyssey of the Mind is a global competition that challenges students from kindergarten through 12th grade to solve problems using both traditional and non-traditional methods. Teams incorporate props, costumes, acting, and humor into their solutions as they work together to overcome obstacles.

One of the challenges faced by the BCHS team was constructing a balsa wood structure that could hold as much weight as possible while only weighing 14 grams. Despite this challenge, their structure successfully held over 300 pounds during a hilarious performance at the tournament.

Along with the high school team, four middle school teams also competed at the NY State Finals tournament. One of these teams took third place in their problem and division. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all BC Odyssey teams and their coordinator, Rebecca Beiter.

For those interested in learning more about Odyssey of the Mind or how to get involved with this exciting competition, please email Rebecca Beiter at rbeiter@bethlehemschools.org. We wish the BCHS Odyssey team all the best as they prepare for their next adventure at Iowa State University!