About the Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind
CTOM was organized in 1981 in order to bring the magic of the Odyssey of the Mind program to Connecticut youth.
CTOM is comprised of a volunteer Board of Directors who together with an Association Director, act as problem captains, conduct coach training, provide skills building workshops for teams, and a spontaneous problem practice scrimmage. Each year CTOM organizes and hosts the CT State Odyssey of the Mind tournament where teams from around the state meet to show off their creative problem solutions.
CTOM relies on the many volunteer parents, teachers and other adults for the success of our tournament and other program offerings. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization we welcome your financial support, both corporate and personal, to help accomplish our mission. We offer assistance (limited availability) to teams who are unable to handle the costs, please see our *Jon and Claudia Anderson CTOM Initiative Award below.
Why Odyssey of the Mind is Good for Kids
"The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students to learn creative problem-solving methods while having fun in the process. For more than twenty five years, this unique program has helped teachers generate excitement in their students. By tapping into creativity, and through encouraging imaginative paths to problem-solving, students learn skills that will provide them with the ability to solve problems -- great and small -- for a lifetime. The Odyssey of the Mind teaches students how to think divergently by providing open-ended problems that appeal to a wide range of interests. Students learn how to identify challenges and to think creatively to solve those problems. They are free to express their ideas and suggestions without fear of criticism. The creative problem-solving process rewards thinking "outside of the box." While conventional thinking has an important place in a well-rounded education, students need to learn how to think creatively and productively." www.odysseyofthemind.com
*The Jon and Claudia Anderson CTOM Initiative Award
The Jon and Claudia Anderson CTOM Initiative Award was created to provide initial funding for Membership in Odyssey of the Mind in any given year. The Board will annually provide “start up” funds in the amount equal to:
1. The membership fee in the national organization; and
2. The CTOM registration fee for up to four teams associated with that membership to participate in the Connecticut program; and
3. A stipend for the site coordinator, in the amount of $125.00 per team, up to four, associated with the membership.
NOTE: Direct costs of the team in the creation of the solution to any problem or any other incidental costs will be the responsibility of the local entity sponsoring the team or the team itself.
Eligibility
Any local entity that is qualified to sponsor an Odyssey of the Mind team under the national rules of Odyssey of the Mind shall be eligible, as long as that entity has not had an active membership in the last three years.
All other factors being equal, priority will be given to new teams from urban and/or inner city settings, all applications to assist students in need will be considered. Any Connecticut entity that wishes to be considered for this award must submit the following application by December 1st:
• Submit a letter of interest to the Association Director;
• Verify in the letter that the team/s will represent a “new membership”;
• Provide a letter of support/endorsement from the principal/director/head of the sponsoring organization which indicates willingness to encourage the new activity and identifies the name of an organization coordinator who will serve as the primary liaison between CTOM and the sponsoring organization
• Submit a brief statement outlining the processes through which the new membership and team(s) have been initiated and any information you wish the selection committee to consider
Selection
A special committee of at least three members of the CTOM Board of Directors and the Association Director will review all applications and will select the recipient of the Jon and Claudia Anderson CTOM Initiative Award. All applicants will be notified no later than December 15th. Given that the CTOM Board seeks to increase opportunities for children and youth of all socio/economic backgrounds to engage in creative problem solving activities we sponsor, priority in the selection process will be given to new memberships from urban and/or inner city settings, all applications to assist students in need will be considered.
Anderson Awards are limited by funds available in a given year. Our goal is for every child, regardless of need, and who wishes to participate in Odyssey of the Mind in Connecticut is able to be part of an Odyssey team. Donations are accepted at any time and can be directed towards this Award specifically. If you wish to make a donation, please contact our Association Director.
About Jon and Claudia Anderson
After 18 + years of continuous and exemplary service to CTOM, Jon and Claudia Anderson retired from their positions of Spontaneous Problem Captain and Spontaneous Problem Captain Assistant in 2001, and Jon has resigned as a member of the Board of Directors. In recognition of and with deep appreciation for their outstanding and loyal service, the CTOM Board created this Initiative Award in their honor. The purpose of this award is to provide financial support for new teams who wish to begin the exhilarating journey of creative and spontaneous problem solving with CTOM.
Reflections of a First-Time Coach- From Odyssey of the Mind by Theresa Lundy, MI
How Odyssey of the Mind Helped to Put My Life In Perspective
As I entered into my first coaching experience with Odyssey of the Mind, I often asked myself what I could possibly have been thinking ... I had a team that consisted of:
Three children with parents who spoke no English (Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish)
One child with severe ADHD
One child who broke down in tears during EVERY practice
Two children who were so painfully shy I did not hear their voices for one month
Two children in the struggles of a bitter divorce
One child who had a parent diag-nosed with a life-threatening illness two days before a competition
Plus, my team fought non-stop for eight weeks. I did not know what I could possibly accomplish with these kids.
Well, the day of the competition, they pulled it all together and took 7th out of 14 teams. (They would have scored higher if it had not been for my misinter-preting part of the problem. Of course, that made me feel even worse!) I left the competition feeling pretty blue but thankful that it was over.
I always heard the little voice in the back of my head saying, "It's the process, not the outcome." It is hard for a coach to keep that in perspective. On the surface, I did not notice very much in the way of greatness during the process, and the out-come seemed disappointing. But, as I met with the kids at school on Monday and I looked back over the past three months I realized that the following had happened:
The kids whose parents did not speak English (and had not lived in the country very long) were picked up by the coaches and were trans-ported to the performance to watch their kids -- we broke down a lot of cultural barriers trying to communi-cate with each other.
-The child with ADHD learned to interact with a team.
-The child who cried at every practice gained confidence and performed beautifully.
-The painfully shy kids were running around the competition laughing and interacting with other children.
-The parents going through the bitter divorces were at the competition enjoying their children's performance -- as a family.
-The child who had an ill parent spent the day with us and was thankful it took his mind off troubles at home.
The best part of the whole experi-ence: On Monday morning, one of my shy kids asked, "Is this the end of Odyssey of the Mind? Am I really going to go the rest of the year without seeing you?" I realized then that Odyssey of the Mind had made a huge impact. It was not the scores, it was not the performance, it was the process of getting there. It was the POSITIVE changes that I saw in all the kids. It put my life in perspective.
Theresa Lundy
Sherwood Park Ele, MI
QUOTES
What we learned in Odyssey:
(from a team of seventh graders)
• I learned how to be more creative and work in a group.
• I learned to by stock in PVC pipe when I grow up.
• I learned that using the wrong tool for the job rarely works.
• i learned how to make a Van De Graf generator- 'not a very effective one, but still. . . ' notes the coach.
• I learned how NOT to use a drill so that the drill bit breaks,
AND, the number one lesson that Odyssey taught us: why you should not squeeze a Christmas ornament!
TESTIMONIALS
"It teaches kids to work as
a team and that hard work and creativity will get you anywhere!"
- Team Member, Middle School