School

A Farewell to Mrs. Adams

By: Anjali C.

My 3rd-grade teacher, Mrs. Adams, is, unfortunately, retiring this year. As my 3rd-grade teacher, she taught us many things. We learned to be more disciplined and more confident in our work. We are all upset that we have to say goodbye to this amazing teacher.

Mrs. Adams shared some of her experiences at Menlo!

“I have worked at Menlo Park School for twenty-two years. I love to teach writing and science more than anything. However, I also enjoy math and reading,” she says.

Mrs. Adams will miss everything about the school!

“It’s hard to narrow it down. I will miss my students and my colleagues. You grow to love the people you work with after so many years. I still have students who have graduated college and gone on to pursue their dreams.”

Before being a teacher, she was a systems analyst and project manager before becoming a mom. Then she went back to school to learn how to teach. She likes her students for many reasons!

“I love [students’] enthusiasm for learning. I try to teach them to question everything. I want my students to become independent, confident learners. I would like to suggest that all learners should never give up on any given subject. Ask for extra help if something needs clarification. Use the time they have in school to the fullest. I would like our students to know how much their teachers care about them. At times, it may seem they push too hard, but that is what gives students the discipline they need to do their best.”

Mrs. Adams is a hard-working teacher and will be missed at Menlo Park. We wish her the best of luck in the future.

Our New Security Guard

By: Priyanka T.

On December 23, 2021, the students of Menlo Park Elementary School sadly had to say goodbye to our beloved security guard, Mr. Chris. Luckily, we now have a new security guard to keep our school safe. Let’s give a warm welcome to Mr. Bill!

So far, Mr. Bill is loving Menlo Park School. “I think that it’s pretty great and everyone is very welcoming,” he says.

Mr. Bill’s favorite part of the job is talking to the kids. He also enjoys walking through the hall and seeing all of the projects hung up on the walls. “The projects kind of remind me of the things my own kids used to make,” he says.

Mr. Bill likes being a security guard mostly because he gets to use his experience from his former job. He was a police officer for 20 years. “I was the kind of emergency rescue officer,” he says. “It was a lot different from my job now, which requires me to be more social.”

Mr. Bill has three kids. A 10th grader, a 7th grader, and a 6th grader. “So I’m mostly just involved in all of their sports and extracurricular activities.”

So there you have it! We think Mr. Bill is a great security guard and we are happy to have him at Menlo Park!

Excitement After the Field Trip

By: Krisha S.

This year the 5th graders went on a field trip to the Six Flags Safari. We were very fortunate to have two amazing field trips with more fun to come. After our field trip, everyone has been talking about the amazing trip. Here is what some people have to say about it.

“My favorite animal on the field trip was the majestic rhea. I also really enjoyed the part where we feed the giraffes,” Ronika T states.

“I liked touching the snake's skin and feeding the giraffes. It was fun,” Tanishka T said.

“The kangaroos were a fascinating site!” exclaimed Jingxi S.

“The Bengal tigers were very cute to see and it was cool to see this rare animal,” mentions Arctic Iniya.

“The bears were my favorite part, especially the baby bears, but I wish Pablo the polar bear was there,” explains our Student Council President Catherine Wu.

“Watching the elephants was very nice to see and learn about,” says Darsh.

“Watching the ostriches run was very funny,” notes Aayan.

“I loved the kangaroo and I learned that they can’t jump or walk backward,” informs Disha P

Everyone loves the field trip and hopes for more fun throughout the school year.

Engaging Games for Recess

By: Yoshitha V. & Freya R.

Around the corner, spring is quickly approaching. Therefore, recess will most likely be outside. Here is a couple of easy-to-set-up, and entertaining games!

Lock Tag

Lock tag is a fun game to play! What is the best way to play? Well, first and foremost, you should assemble a group of participants. After that, pick a tagger. It could, for example, be a friend of yours. To pass on the tagging powers, your friend must find a player who is not locked. If the tagger is close by, players can lock. However, to get out of the lock, you must be tapped.

Chocolate Box

Chocolate Box is a fun game with a variety of topics and features! To begin, organize a group of players and select a tagger. The tagger must first choose a topic, after which the other participants will discuss some names from that topic in secrecy. For example, the theme might be food, and the players would have to pick one type of food to play with. Following that, you will reveal all the things but not who chose them. The tagger will select an object, and if it is pizza, the person who selected pizza should flee. The tagger must tag the individual within 10 seconds; if the tagger tags you, you become the next tagger; if he or she does not, they must do it again.

Sardines

Sardines is a similar game to hide and seek, but with a fun twist to it! During the game, there will be one person who is hiding. Then, the rest of the players must count. After that step, you must go off individually and search for that person hiding. When you find that person hiding, you must join him or her in the place they are hiding. The game will be completed once everyone has been cramped together in one place like sardines! This game is fun even if you win or lose!

Buddy Bench

The buddy bench has been a new addition to the Menlo Park School community. The buddy bench is to be used during recess if you have no one to play with! For instance, you and another fellow student are sitting down on the buddy bench. Therefore, you two can get to know each other better and possibly be friends. We believe that the buddy bench is a great addition to the school! It is a great way to make new friends and to learn new things from others too! The next time you see someone there, maybe ask to be friends with them or play together!

A Walk With Friends

Another, active activity to do during recess is possibly a walk with friends. If you're not that active, then this might be the perfect choice for you! You can catch up with friends, and enjoy a tranquil walk through the black or the playground. In addition, this is a good way to still be energetic, and have a productive recess! In addition, this is also a good way to get exercise and build friendships with each other. Walking is good for your health, too!

Museum

Museum is a fun, yet challenging game to play! First, you must establish two places across from each other. Once you do that, there will be one person “it”. They must turn around, or leave the room for about five to eight seconds. Then, the player must run or walk to the other side while posing like status, and may not move. However, if you move you must go all the way to the beginning. The game is over once one person has touched or reached the other side of the room without the person “it” calling them out. If you reach the other side, then you are “it'' for the next round. This game requires patience and possibly a steady balance. But this game is overall really fun to play!

As you can see, there are many interesting games to play during recess. If you're bored or if you have nothing to do, these games are just right for you! You can go, and gather up some friends to play together, or just take a tranquil walk during recess. In conclusion, there are several ways to have an enjoyable recess or just to have fun in general.

Eco-Diary: Ways to Save the Environment

Entries for the Panasonic Student Eco Citizenship Project

By: Navya S. & Priyanka T.

This year, fifth-grade students in the Panasonic Student Eco Citizenship Project. For this project, students challenged themselves to take a step towards solving an issue in our environment. We will be reviewing three entries by Spray To Save, Naturally Happy Soap, and Air Freshener Guys.

Saving the Atmosphere

The Air Freshener Guys brought an amazing idea to the table. His team included Joshith V. and Rahul B. His group told me “Our problem is air pollution, and we picked it because people and animals are in danger of breathing in toxins.”

Air fresheners release chemicals like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde into the air. These and other chemicals can be harmful if you inhale them.

When asked about the solution, the group said, “The solution we came up with [was] to create a 3-ingredient air freshener that is not harmful…Our air freshener is better because it creates no toxins but still smells nice.”

Overall, their project just makes scents!

Saving the Geosphere

Spray to Save consisted of Saathvika T., Sahiti T., and Zubaidah S. from Mrs. Sileski’s homeroom.

“The environmental issue we chose is littering. This can harm the environment because landfills and trash harm the ecosystem,” the group said.

Since the 1950s, over 8 million tons of plastic have been thrown into the ocean. When asked what they would do about it, they said, “Our solution is to use a spray bottle and a cloth. It does the same thing as wipes.”

They found an easy and simple solution. “It would take more than 100 years for sanitizing wipes to degrade. So using a spray bottle would keep many wipes from being thrown away and help the environment,” Spray to Save said.

If you liked this idea, click here to learn more about their project! We couldn’t believe that such a simple “solution” could solve such a big problem!

Saving the Hydrosphere

The Naturally Happy Soap team from Mrs. Kregeloh’s homeroom not only helped the environment but also helped keep us safer and healthier! This group included Lyla T., Navya S., and Kiara S. “For our problem, we chose ocean pollution,” the group said.

Over one million marine animals die each year due to pollutants, such as plastic. The team's solution was this: “We have created an eco-friendly soap. Antibacterial soap contains a chemical that when in the ocean, can harm marine animals and plants.”

The non-toxic soap they created was easy and quick to make. When asked why it was important, they said, “Since our soap doesn’t contain this chemical, it helps the animals and plants that live in the ocean. We hope that this will create a positive impact on our environment!”

If you’d like to learn more about their project, and how to make the soap, click here. Thanks to this team for helping the environment ‘soap’ much!

The Pokémon Protest

By: Ved J. & Tanay U.

Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Pikachu. Ever heard those names? These are all names of Pokémon cards. Pokémon cards are like baseball cards. They originate from Japan. This game is played by many people in our school! Unfortunately, these cards have caused pandemonium in the fifth grade.

It all started when our principals put a ban on the cards because people were trading but it got out of hand. Now people were stealing from each other. In addition, people claimed cards that were not theirs. Because of this kids were not even allowed to bring them to school! They were especially disappointed with this news. That's when a few fifth graders came together and formed a union.

Tanish, someone who did not support the protest,

said, “I didn't believe it. I thought it wouldn't come back!” The protest did in fact work!

Shlok, a leader of the petition replied, “It was worth a shot, and it worked!”

The principals took this in a very positive way. They said that they would conduct a pilot testing of Pokémon. Mr. Platvoet said, “What stood out was the student's ability to organize, listen, and respond respectfully.”

There was a loud “yay” from the eight students that signed the petition.

This brings us to current times. Many teachers and students supported and disagreed with the protest, but in the end, it all worked out.

So there you have it, Menlo Park. The events of a protest right here in our school. Would you have supported this? Feel free to email menlonewspaper@edison.k12.nj.us to share your thoughts.

Mission Accomplished!!!

By: Krisha S. & Aarshi V.

Did you know that we have an awesome band teacher named Mr. Wahl? He started teaching band in Menlo this year and loves it. His love and passion for music is really inspiring. This year, Mr. Wahl conducted his first band concert at the school. Everyone loved it and hoped for another one. Though the big question is - What did Mr. Wahl think about the concert?

Mr. Wahl was prepared for this brilliant concert. He felt great and was also nervous! He stated, “I wanted to make sure it was well done.” He knew it was going to go well, and going outside his comfort zone in the band helped him open up. He wanted to challenge himself and learn about performing. Prep helped him. Mr. Wahl taught for four years in Dallas, Texas, which of course is very different from NJ. He started doing band in 6th grade, and he loved it so much that he never stopped. He was part of his high school and middle school bands in Texas. For his four years at college, he also attended school in the capital of Indiana.

These experiences made him want to teach a band. He chose to move to NJ to be closer to his family!

Mr. Wahl felt very proud of the students at the concert. "I was proud of the first-year players and how many parents came to support their children, and it was not just parents!” said Mr. Wahl. “I felt that they behaved well, were responsible while getting here early, and they dressed appropriately. They seemed to put in a lot of effort and hard work.”

Mr. Wahl also felt that they were self-sufficient and responsible. “I [also] thought that it was cool that some of the kids put together their music, learned it, and practiced it by themselves.”

What do students think about Mr. Wahl? “Mr. Wahl is SO funny and I’ve improved SO much learning from him! He is so nice!” says Krisha C.

“Many of the songs that the students learned by ear were the coolest songs. They did an amazing job! So we say- Mission Accomplished!”

Which Club Is Right For You?

~Menlo Park School~

By: Ansh K. & Ayaan P.

Menlo Park School has a variety of clubs. It is hard to choose which one you will like, so in this article, we will walk you through the different clubs.

Math Club

This club isn’t like your ordinary math club, but it has some of the hardest problems with a difficulty going up to 8th grade (depending on your grade level). Here they teach you strategies on how to solve these problems. Every few weeks they have a test: in 3rd grade, it’s a CML (Continental Math League) test with 6 questions; and in 4th and 5th grades, it’s a CML and MOEMS (Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools) test. The problems are word problems based on geometry, unknown variables, fractions, percentages, crypthariums, coordinate plane, and arithmetic (+,-,/,x)

Example Problem: 111,111 is the product of 5 different prime numbers. What is the sum of those 5 prime numbers?

Cricket Club

This club is a place where you learn and enhance your skills in cricket. Mr. Levinski runs this club so if you have any doubts, ask him. Not only is there cricket, but there are warm-ups and jogs. The club is located in the gym, so you don’t have to worry about the heat or cold. There are small cricket matches they play where the coach gives tips on how to play. If you are interested in athletics and cricket, this club is right for you.

Memory Book Club

You may have guessed what this club does based on the name: you help create a memory book for the Menlo Park Elementary School! Member Ariana R., from 5-3, says, “ I love this club a lot. I have always loved looking at the pictures of previous memory books and I could help create these memories.” If you want to help create memories of our school, this club is right for you!

Chorus

For those of you who have not heard of Chorus, it is singing as a group. Chorus meets at recess time for grades 4 and 5 for 20 minutes. You would love this club if you want to enhance your singing voice. Mrs. Ruiz runs Chorus, so if you have any doubts ask her.

Girls on the Run

In Girls On The Run, girls meet together and do various exercises to compete in a 5-kilometer race. This increases their running speeds and stamina. Member Tanishka T., from 5-3, says, “The club is very inspiring and an optimistic club where you could share anything.”

Newspaper Club

In the Newspaper Club, each of us creates an article to tell Menlo Park Elementary students about what’s going around in the world and in the school. You can access the articles in the Menlo Park website. We are writing this article because we are in the club! If you like writing articles to inform students, this club is right for you!

National Geography Bee & National Spelling Bee

The National Geography Bee is a place where you can learn more geography. Mr. Crincoli runs the Spelling Bee and Geography Bee clubs. Eventually, there is a test, which comes at the end of the club, and if you have the highest score, you win the spelling bee in Menlo Park. Then you move on to the regionals, and if you win that, you move to the state spelling bee. If you win that, you go to the nationals live on TV, and you have a chance to win $50,000 and a huge trophy.

Hopefully, these tips help when you are choosing which club in this school is right for you. These are just some, and there are many more out there. Good luck with choosing the club right for you!

Our Amazing Security Guard

By: Krisha S. & Aarshi V.

Did you know that Mr.Chris left our school? Mr. Chris, a kind, smart, helpful security guard at Menlo Park Elementary School, loved his experience at our school. “I like it a lot! It’s fun helping the kids,” stated Mr. Chris. “I have to help the kids find their way and sometimes it is not just the kids I’m helping!” He loved this wonderful experience and it’s one he won’t forget. “I am getting transferred to another school. I think it is a high school.” When you go to JP Stevens you might see him!

The biggest problems he faces are the ones where students get physical with each other. It starts with small arguments. They are usually like: Who won the game? Who’s it for Tag? But then, it leads to physical fighting which is where he comes in to break it up. Fortunately, he says, “Our school is armed and safe so there hasn’t been anything dangerous that I’ve faced in my time working here.”

Early on, Mr. Chris was determined to work in the field of security. “I was always in the field of security. I wanted to become a police officer but I couldn’t because of injuries. ” So then he was hired as a Security Guard here! He loves all the hospitable people in Menlo Park.

Mr. Chris has had various jobs before Menlo Park Elementary school. “First, I was in security for 6th Ave Electronics, and then I had a really cool job!” Mr. Chris used to be a guard at concerts, games, etc. at MetLife Stadium! He was also in Security for 6th Ave Electronics.

With a heavy heart, Mr. Chris is leaving our school but he hopes to see us in high school! He loved this wonderful experience, and it’s one he won’t forget. So on behalf of all of us at Menlo Park School, “WE MISS YOU!!!”

The New, and Fabulous Ms. Kilroy!

By: Aarshi V. & Krisha S.

Did you know that we have a new fifth-grade teacher named Ms. Kilroy? She is the best! She’s super funny and has a big smile! She teaches social studies in 5-4 with Mrs. McGowan. Ms.Kilroy is a new and great addition to our school.

Ms. Kilroy seems very excited about her future years teaching at Menlo. “I am excited because everyone is friendly and fun,” says Ms.Kilroy. She likes the new experience at this school and is looking forward to the new school year. “I have taught many different grades and it’s very exciting for me to learn about different curriculums.” She likes how she can engage and interact with her students with different activities.

Ms. Kilroy loves the school building, and explained that it’s different from her last school. “It's a big building and is easy to get lost in,'' replied Ms.Kilroy. “The sunlight in my room makes me cheerful and optimistic. I love my students so much!” Her classroom makes her happy, excited, and ready to start her day.

Ms. Kilroy has lived in New Jersey for her entire life and she lovesit! Ms.Kilroy was born in Hoboken, NJ, and stayed there for the first 8 years of her life. After that, she lived in Secaucus, NJ, followed by Cranford. Ms. Kilroy stayed there from 3rd grade to high school. Even though she still lived in Cranford, Ms.Kilroy attended a Catholic high school in Clark. Now, she lives in Eatontown. “New Jersey is a great state, and I had a wonderful life here in NJ!”

Ms.Kilroy has taught in many schools which has given her a lot of different experiences. . Ms. Kilroy has taught at FDR Preschool and was with the half-day program for 2 years. After that, she was with the full-day program for another 2 years. Ms.Kilroy also taught at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. She taught 7th-grade science and 8th grade English there.

Ms.Kilroy enjoys teaching her fifth-grade classes. She also enjoys reading different genres of books. She also likes discussing with her students about different topics. She loves teaching social studies. Ms.Kilroy’s dad also likes history and she likes to share what she teaches in class with him.

Ms.Kilroy is a super cool fifth-grade teacher! She seems to make students smile and her big smile sure spreads out to others! She loves rainbows as a bright and sunny person! Any time you see Ms.Kilroy in the hallway, give her a warm welcome to our school.

Menlo Message TM

All Your School Updates

By: Navya S. & Priyanka T.

Hey Menlo students, parents, and teachers! Welcome to the first edition of the Menlo Message! We are here to give you all your Menlo updates here, in one place. Today, we’re going to talk about the food here at Menlo and an interview of our new student council president who was elected. Stay tuned for all the new things that are happening here at the amazing school of Menlo Park!

Our New Menu!

Have you heard about the place in town to get a bite? Well, Menlo Park School has a great lunch menu with awesome food everyday! This year, we have a new lunch program called Maschios. This program provides a delectable variety of lunches and breakfasts. Now, many more students are buying lunch compared to 2019. Students who would buy lunch once in a while, are now buying lunch every other day! We think that this is because the program has a larger menu, with a bigger variety of foods.

Our New Student Council President!

As you know, students here at Menlo just elected some wonderful candidates for president, secretary, treasurer, and historian.

How do you feel after winning?

I feel pretty good, and proud of myself for working hard to get this position.

What are some tips you would give to younger students interested in running?

1 - Don’t stress, it will only make running more difficult.

2 - Work Hard, it will get you pretty far.

3 - If you don’t get elected, take it easy. You had a great campaign, and you should be proud of yourself. Try running for class representative!

What would be something you would say to your former opponents?

I would say, ‘ You all worked really hard, and I think you all would make great presidents!

Well, that’s it for now, we hope you enjoyed the very first edition of the Menlo Message, and we’ll see you all next time. Thank you, and go Menlo Mutts!

How To Make This School Year Amazing!

By: Ayaan P.

We are all worried about how our new school year will go. Harder work, more homework, more tests, making friends, and more expectations from teachers are all things you should be worried about. This article will include fantastic tips on making your new school year go smoothly. These tips can help whether it’s your first year of Menlo Park Elementary or it’s your last.

“Students, today the homework is to finish pgs 86-87, finish your social studies assignment, and read independently for 20 - minutes,” your teacher says. You come home and sink into your chair because of the amount of homework. I will explain how to quickly and correctly finish your homework so you can spend your time on other fun activities. First, you should have a plan. Know what assignment you are going to finish first and how much time you are going to spend on each. Next, you should never rush. It is also a good idea to work in a quiet, comfortable workspace that you can concentrate on. If you are writing an important essay, you should use resources on the internet or use an encyclopedia to research. And importantly, never plagiarize.

“Everyone, time to line up for recess,” the lunch aide calls out to the students. The moment the adult opens the door, people rush out. Jack’s best friend is absent, so he is looking for someone who he can play with. He tries to find someone to play with but he can’t because he does not know how to make a friend. One way Jack can do this is if he gets involved in a conversation with a person he feels is good as a friend. Soon enough, he can play something with him like a hand game, tag, etc. (Always do this during recess, not class) This works even when you make your first friend. If this is your first school friend, then continue this for a couple of days. You guys will become bonded to each other. Now your worries about making friends should go away after hearing this good advice.

Getting bucketfillers is something everyone craves. People want to win raffles to earn prizes. Really, bucketfillers are something that motivates you to be kind, responsible, and caring. This is why teachers do weekly/monthly raffles. This does not mean that you should have these three qualities only when someone is watching. This should be something you do in your daily life. Being kind, caring, and responsible is something that you should try to be.

During recess or lunchtime, someone may bully you physically or verbally. If someone starts bullying you, here's the immediate action you should take. Talk with a lunch aide about this situation. They may tell the bully to stop or give a lesson. If you feel uncomfortable talking with a lunch aide, then talk with your teacher or the counselor, Mrs. Carde. You can discuss your problem with Mrs. Carde and also get the bully involved in the conversation. I personally recommend going to Mrs. Carde. She is an amazing counselor!

There you have it -- tips on how your new school year can be successful and smooth. Some of this information will even help you for middle school and high school! I assure you that these tips will help you out a lot.

How Fifth Graders Feel About Their Last Year in Menlo

By : Raajasi R. and Krisha C.

We're pretty sure that 5th graders are sad about it being our last year here at Menlo. We think it is a great school with the best teachers possible. Even though we aren’t looking forward to leaving this school, just think about all the memories and fun times we had during our years. Even if some of you didn’t join right from kindergarten, we’re sure you still have a lot of things to remember. We should enjoy our last year as much as possible.

While interviewing Nistha from 5-4, she said that she is scared and worried about all the hard work she will have to do. It’s not wrong to feel this way, we are moving to a different school with different procedures. While interviewing another fifth grader, we interpreted that she is actually excited to go through a new experience.

Some of us may be happy to go to middle school. Even though we are looking forward to middle school, don’t be sad about leaving this school. We’re going to miss the smiling faces of Mr. Duggan, Mr. Platvoet, Mrs. Carde and all other staff members welcoming us at the door each day when we walk in. We will miss all of our specials teachers. These hallways feel like home to us. Whether it be Senora Murillo’s humor, or Mrs. Ruiz’s kindness, everything at Menlo is missable. But we all have a whole year ahead of us, fifth graders, so let’s enjoy it!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LOSE STUDENT COUNCIL

By: Raghav M.

Election results have come out. You probably know what I am talking about. On Friday November 12, 2021, the results for Student Council were announced. Only five people were elected and many people lost. Lost in Student Council elections.

Some people may be angry. Some people may be depressed. It often depends on the person's personality. If you're a sensitive person, you are probably be sad or mad. If you are not as sensitive, you will not be sad or angry.

It is not as easy to get over losing the Student Council. Some students do not get mad, but they may get a little sad. My friend Tanay, who was a candidate for Student Council, said, "It does not matter if you do not make it into the Student Council as long as you try. That is important."

Tanay also said that he was a little sad and not that sad. Some people may be like this when they lose Student Council.

Some people will not even care if they lose. But, that is very uncommon. Some people will be happy they tried and a little sad like Tanay. Some people will be mad at the person who beat them. These are common effects.

Sometimes the students will get over losing within an hour. They will not be mad. They will be ok with losing and not depressed, angry, or even sad which is what usually happens. They will just ignore that they lost. They will be like they normally are. This is what could happen if you lose the Student Council elections.

Pictured above is Tanay, who ran for Student Council office.

Odyssey of the Mind

By: Ved J., Haris, and Lucas

Ved’s POV

It all started in the month of November. I didn’t expect what was to come. We started by making the teams. OM is all about problem-solving. For our team, our problem was to make a real-world and circus world. There would be a young character, who is transported to the circus world and is watching the acts.

I, Ved, was the young character. Our team consisted of seven people – two boys (including me) and five girls. After the teams were made, we immediately got to work. Now I won’t lie, at first we didn’t look or sound like a team. But after a month or so of team activities, we got used to each other. Then we started working on the script. It took about two weeks before it was done. Even after that, we made a lot of changes. After settling on the script, we quickly made our props.

The regional tournament was approaching. On the day of the tournament, we put our things in each other's cars. Then, we arrived at JP Stevens High School. Everything went according to plan. Our long-term and style were great, though they could have used a little improvement. The game-changer was spontaneous. You might not have heard of this part of the contest in particular. In spontaneous, you must work as a team to solve a problem as quickly and efficiently as possible. It all went well and we ranked second place! This means we would get into the state tournament! Woohoo!

Next, we revised the script and upgraded our backdrops and props in preparation for the state. When the day came, we were all excited. The parents booked a U-Haul and we loaded everything in there. We then drove to Princeton High School. The tournament was great! Watching all the other people's performances was so much fun! After that, it was time for the award ceremony. There, we scored outstanding points and went on to get 1st place! This brings our amazing journey to an end; it was an amazing voyage!

Lucas's POV

My story starts in the month of November, when OM really began. I had no clue what it was, so I didn’t sign up for the tryouts. Some of my friends did though. After the date of the tryouts, I found that some of them actually made the team! I was so happy for the people who made it!

A month or so later, I decided to do some digging and find out what Odyssey of the Mind really was. After going on Google, I found that it was a competition to solve a problem creatively.

Haris's POV

It all started somewhere in November. We had just received a form about OM! I had no clue what it was except that we had to try out for it. When I got to Mrs. Blair’s room, I realized that there would be a creativity test. While taking the test I wondered, “Does this mean anything?” It took all of the recess period to finish it. When I was done, I discussed with my friends what this was about.

It took about two weeks, but when the results came out, I was mad with anticipation. Sadly, I didn’t get in. I felt disappointed, but I knew it was for the best. Next to me, I saw a friend of mine, Neil got in. A month or so later, I forgot about this all together and heard that both teams won the state and the regional finals. I was shocked to see how much progress a couple of people could make.

A few weeks later I started noticing that my friends weren’t there at recess. I wondered if it was OM, but I didn’t think too much of it as I played with other friends during that period. This went on until March.

Suddenly, there was an announcement that the OM teams went to state. Soon after, came the announcement that they had made it to Worlds!

After understanding and researching OM, I finally understood what it was. A way to show your creativity. I was so happy for the teams!

Photo Above: Team 5, Life is a Circus, during regional finals.

Photo Below: Team 2, Odyssey ReOMvention that participated in Worlds in Iowa.

Teams would have to not only interpret the problem, but then make things like backdrops, costumes, and the script itself. It seemed like a lot of work, so when they announced that both teams made it to state, I was overjoyed! I really loved all the costumes and props both teams made!

About a month later, the school found out that surprisingly both teams had made it to Worlds. Even though one team ended up not going, it was still an exciting moment. I hope I can take part in OM next year.

Check out this year's OM Problems!

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